Lamenting Enchantment
by The.Teal.Rose
Summary: A portrayel of Inoue's time in Hueco Mundo and of the untold moments between she & the fourth Espada. "I was content in the simplicity of my emptiness," Ulquiorra revealed. "How is it that a powerless creature like you was able to abolish it so entirely?"
1. Castle in the Sky

Chapter I

Castle in the Sky

_do you ever question your life?  
>do you ever wonder why?<br>do you ever see in your dreams,  
>all the castles in the sky...<em>

_-Ian Van Dahl_

* * *

><p>The wind howled across the barren desert, caressing the sands as it swiftly made its way toward the lone figure on the other side of three steel bars.<p>

Dancing through her hair, its fingers swept through the only source of color within the whitewashed room. She closed her eyes as she felt it dissipate and longed to feel once more its soothing touch, or any connection at all to the world outside.

Returning her gaze to the blackened sky she sighed and held her hands against her heart, clasped tightly together and desperately grasping at the threads of hope and strength she risked losing.

"Kurosaki," she whispered, his name flowing off her tongue like the taste of sweet honey.

She prayed with all her soul that he would not despise her for leaving, or mark her as a traitor. She trusted him with her life and she longed to somehow convey to him just how much he meant to her.

She dropped her hands to her sides and then bowed her head to look upon where the light of the moon fell at her feet, bathing the ground in a surreal glow. She smiled and then bent to touch the intangible radiance.

Her hand met only the cold marble of the floor and she shook her head at the silly notion of being able to grasp such an illusion. Her hand remained, however, as if captivated by the play of light upon her skin. It glimmered so magnificently that she felt immediately drawn to the mesmerizing scene.

Lingering but a moment longer, Inoue finally stood and wrapped her arms about her torso as she glanced to the right wall and absently stared at nothing but tricks of shadow.

She felt tears prick the corners of her eyes and she allowed them to suspend but there, forever stilled and denying them the awaited travel down the contours of her cheeks.

Her mind was blank and her heart heavy as her vision began to blur and obscure the sights before her. She hugged herself tighter and held for dear life as she was now the only person in the world with whom she could keep company.

Were the rest of her days to be spent in solitude? To live forever in the world of black and white? Was all color hence absent from her eyes?

'_I miss the sun,'_ she thought as one hand rose to clutch her long tresses_, 'I miss the ocean, and the birds and the silly fish.' _

She leaned into her own touch, comforted somewhat from the warmth it offered, in such cruel contrast with the chill of her cell.

'_I miss cooking and shopping for delicious desserts,'_ she closed her eyes once more_, 'and warm summer days, and cloud gazing, and working hard to defend myself against Tatsuki-chan.'_

She bit her lip and desperately fought against the tears that so desired to fall, "Tatsuki-chan…" she inhaled and brought her other hand over her face, hiding the betrayal of her eyes, "Sado-kun, Ishida-kun, Rukia-chan, and…and…," she fought with all her might to not allow his name to break her resolve, "…Kurosaki-kun."

Her mind immediately took her to the moment she had lived just mere hours before her present state, in which she had touched his hand, confessed her love and nearly kissed the man she so admired.

She allowed a finger to trace her lips and wished that she had been brave enough to go through with the act. The chance was now forever denied to her and she doubted it would ever present itself again. She was a prisoner to this realm, denied every manner of pleasant things.

She suddenly shook her head and shoved her tears aside, angry with them for being so against her.

"Stop it," she chastised herself aloud.

Looking to the ceiling, Inoue repeated in her head that what she had done was for the best, and that she had saved her friends lives. In that mindset, she was able to feel a shred of happiness. Anything was worth defending their lives, anything. No punishment was too much a price to pay when she knew they would all be safe.

'_I love them all,'_ she silently concluded within her heart.

Looking to the moon once more, Inoue decided that she was going to try and make the best of things, no matter what. She clenched a fist and thrust it forward, her brows set in a determined way. She nearly chuckled, it was like fighting Tatsuki-chan. Only, this enemy was bigger, stronger, and filled with an overwhelming hatred.

'_I will not lose,'_ she repeated_, 'I will not lose,' _she repeated in her head over and over before finally releasing her new motto into the expression of voice.

"I will NOT lose!" She exclaimed, raising her fist into the air.

She had missed the soft click of the door closing, and the feeling of a presence within the room aside from her own. Her eyes widened as she watched a shadow spread over and engulf the tantalizing light of the moon bathed across the ground and over her figure. Darkness wafted over her and she slowly turned as her fist softened and collapsed; her hand returning to her side.

Her captor had arrived, his expressionless eyes regarding her with a detached and distant gleam.

Her own eyes quivered at the sight of him, her suppressed negativity being pulled from their depths and threatening to surface and destroy her newfound resolve.

An overwhelming feeling of emptiness immediately seeped through her, as if his look was poison itself, one glance casting a deadly plague into her very core.

"If I may contradict," he began, his voice so calculated and smooth it reminded her of a snake's flesh, "you HAVE already lost, and as to what in particular that might be, then my answer is this…"

He took but one step forward and then leisurely stood just enough distance away to seem imposing and yet close enough to overpower her figure. "Everything. You have already lost everything."

He tilted his head, the cruelty of his gaze piercing into her soul, "you are nothing, and have nothing. Everything you were and are now belongs to Aizen."

Inoue's mouth had parted and her eyes were unable to look away from the figure that continued to torture her feelings of hope. She could not speak, could not move, could not even think. She felt akin to a caged animal, at the mercy of a powerful and unfeeling beast.

He simply watched her, his eyes unflinching and instilling a threatening despair. Inoue's mantra faded into the blackness and she felt her own heart waver beneath the weight of a suffocating force.

"You will do as I say, when I say. There will be no objections, complaints or opinions. All your thoughts and feelings no longer hold any meaning; your will is at the hand of Aizen. Do you understand?"

Awaiting her answer, Inoue could see neither impatience nor ease within his expression. She forced a nod, unable to completely comprehend all that was being said to her.

He regarded her but a moment longer, his eyes sweeping over the school uniform she still wore, before turning to leave. He said nothing more, simply faded like a shadow into the hall beyond her door.

Inoue released the breath she hadn't realized was being held and then finally tore her gaze from the vacancy of the space her captor had occupied. She lifted her eyes to the moon, as if pleading for some reprieve. _'Help me,'_ she thought to herself, _'help me to be strong enough for everyone.' _

Realizing that her thoughts were becoming her greatest enemy, Inoue desperately tried to find something to distract her from the reality of what was to be her life.

Casting her glance about the room, Inoue begged inspiration to present itself. Save for a single sofa, a small table and chair, and a large area rug, there was nothing within her cell. Sitting slowly upon the floor, she wrapped her legs beneath her and then let her head rest within her palm.

What could she do? Anything at all would suffice; anything that would alleviate the lingering feeling of the Espada's sovereignty over her.

His voice echoed throughout her head but she refused to dwell upon it. Such despairing words would only harm and damage what self-resilience she still held.

It was the only thing she had left, the only thing she alone had any control over. Closing her eyes she reasoned that her memories, also, were still her own.

'_I am thankful,_' Inoue thought with a sad smile_, 'I am thankful for all the happy times.'_

"Aah!" Inoue exclaimed, her eyes opening wide, _'I'm thinking again.'_

She then decided to try and make up a story, she liked to create stories. She remembered how she and Tatsuki-chan would always have contests to see who could form the best fantasy.

'_Right!'_ Inoue stated, determined before leaning back against the couch and looking up to the moon as she gave way to the creative side of her brain.

"Once upon a time," she whispered, her voice barely above a breath.

'_It always has to begin with once upon a time,' _she thought with a soft giggle.

"There was a castle in the sky, it was so grand and magnificent that all the other castle's kings were jealous and wished to have it for themselves."

She closed her eyes, "it was a castle made entirely of mirrors, and so its color changed with the colors of the sky; pink in the morning, blue in the day, orange in the evening and filled with stars in the night. It was most beautiful in the night though, as all the lights made it shine so much more exquisitely then the moon itself. The moon was also jealous, wishing it could shine like the castle."

Sighing, Inoue settled herself more comfortably against the sofa, completely lost to her own imagination.

"The castle was lonely, however, lonelier than anything else in the world for, its halls were empty and it had no king with whom it could befriend.

Even the birds could not reach the castle; it was so high in the air. The jealous kings had no way of getting to it either, since it was a very long time ago and airplanes had not been invented.

The rain was the castle's tears, pouring to the earth and wishing someone could find a way to reach it and make it not feel so lonely anymore.

Despite being the most beautiful castle ever, no one could share that beauty. 'Why was I created?' the castle wondered, 'what point is there in being so beautiful if I am to be alone forever? Who even created me?'

Then, one evening, as the sun and moon were meeting along the horizon, something flew towards the castle. It was a dragon prince, looking for the palace he had inherited.

He had asked the kings of the earth if they knew where his castle was but they would not even answer him. They would not talk to a dragon because dragons were supposed to be evil. He was a nice dragon though, he wasn't like the others. They did not understand and so he was lonely too, with no one left to befriend him.

He was the only dragon left in the world and when he finally saw the sparkling towers of his beloved castle he was happier than he had ever been. He had finally found his home, his search was over. The castle too was filled with delight, for it had found its master, its prince. They each found their true friend and the castle shone more beautifully that night than any other…

Her voice faded and Inoue drifted to sleep, her mind filled with dreams of the world she had just created.

Unaware of everything was she. Unaware of the sound of the wind, the cold of the air and of the figure who was still standing just beyond the door.

Unaware that he had heard every word of her fantasy about the castle in the sky and of the lonesome dragon prince…


	2. Beneath the Light of the Sliver Moon

Chapter II

Beneath the Light of the Sliver Moon

_Don't tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass. _

_-Anton Chekhov_

* * *

><p>Time had no meaning, and Inoue awoke an unnamable number of hours later to the view of the moon beyond her window, the same view she was to see for the rest of her days.<p>

Rubbing her eyes slightly, she realized she had fallen asleep against the couch on the floor.

Sitting upright but a moment, Inoue made her way over to the center of the rug and then lied down beneath the light streaming through the window. She turned on her back and allowed one arm to rest above her head and the other across her stomach.

Her eyes were wide and awake as she let the silver glow drift through her sight and into the recesses of her mind. Its light fanned across her entire figure, making her feel as if she were glowing_. 'I wish I were a fairy,'_ she thought, _'then I would be small and I could have wings and fly away from here.'_

Shaking her head she then reasoned that if she could fly she would at least be able to explore the world beyond her window, for she had no idea how to get back to her world. _'That would be exciting; it would be like an adventure. Sneaking out while everyone's asleep and returning before they wake to find me gone.' _

'_Do Espada sleep?_' She wondered al l the sudden. It seemed reasonable that they might, though she had no idea as to whether they were required to_. 'I could ask Ulquiorra,'_ she thought before recalling his petrifying gaze and deciding that asking something like that would only make him angry.

Allowing her thoughts to hang suspended above the darker and more depressing ones that threatened to rise, Inoue instead focused on what type of world this seemed to be.

It appeared a lonely world, one where no one was ever happy and certainly where no smiles could be found. Why was such a world created in the first place? It was such a sad place, without the sun or summer, or color or music.

A light gust of wind entered her cell, drifting above her and just lightly touching her skin. It seemed to be searching for something, something to perhaps grant it some sense of meaning.

Inoue rolled over onto her stomach, folded her arms in front of her and then rested her chin atop them. She absently swung her feet back and forth and hummed softly. Music was something else she missed. She wondered if anyone in Hueco Mundo had ever heard of music.

Continuing to hum the theme of one of her favorite television shows, Inoue closed her eyes and pictured the happy characters, dancing in unison to the uplifting tune.

She sometimes wished she could be a cartoon character. The world was always bright and everyone always cared for one another.

The sound of the door opening caused Inoue to immediately sit up, her hands folded nervously in her lap and her emotions bracing for whatever onslaught awaited.

Ulquiorra entered and walked towards her, his movements as always purposeful and calculated. Inoue looked to his arm where he had draped a white garment and furrowed her brows slightly.

Stopping in front of her he motioned for her to rise and she slowly obeyed.

"I've brought you something more suitable to wear."

Glancing down at the attire he held out to her, Inoue carefully reached towards it, avoiding his gaze as she grasped the smooth fabric.

He released his hold as she lifted the dress slightly to get a better view. She inhaled sharply as she recognized it as akin to the garb that everyone in Las Noches wore. She knew that wearing it would only fulfill another move at their claim to owning her.

Lowering her hand, she looked to Ulquiorra, who was simply regarding her as he always seemed to; distant and calculating.

Somehow though, his eyes seemed not so cutting in comparison to their previous encounter and Inoue found herself questioning why she had felt so immobilized under the influence of his gaze before.

Perhaps her resolve had simply strengthened enough to be able to withstand his presence?

"I will return shortly with your meal, I'll expect you to have already changed by then," he said as he turned and left the room.

Inoue had forgotten all about how hungry she was and, now that he had mentioned a meal she wondered how long it had been since her last taste of food.

With a resigned sigh she lifted the dress and held it up to her, gazing down at the splay of monochromatic garment.

She found she liked the design well enough but the mere fact that it was just another ploy at tightening her chains was enough to make her detest the outfit.

However, she had no choice, and she certainly did not want to wait and discover what her captor might do if he should return and find that she had not obeyed his command.

Hesitating as she lifted her sweater, she felt a wave of sadness as she realized that her uniform was one of her only connections to the world she loved. She sighed and lifted it over her head, the familiar scent of her favorite laundry detergent still lingering within the fabric.

Removing the rest of her clothing she slipped on the dress and adjusted the zipper before looking down at herself with a forlorn expression.

Was she really one of them? Inoue wondered, for they certainly didn't seem to think of her as an equal.

Folding her uniform, she then hugged it close and inhaled, her mind memorizing all the feelings the different scents instilled.

She sincerely doubted her captor intended on allowing her to keep such a comforting trinket of her previous life.

Several moments later, Ulquiorra opened the door and walked into the room. He paused a moment to observe how tightly she was clutching her uniform before holding a hand out to signify that she was to hand it over.

Inoue gazed at his hand silently a moment before stepping forward and handing over the garb. He calmly draped it over his arm and then stepped aside to allow the Arrancar behind him to bring her meal into the room.

Once the cart had been brought in, Ulquiorra motioned for him to leave, while also holding out Inoue's previous attire. The Arrancar bowed, received the garment and left the room, closing the door behind him.

Turning towards her, the Espada took note of her appearance before seeming to nod in approval, "that suits you, surprisingly."

Inoue did not know how to respond to that and so she simply nodded in return before looking to the food on the cart. It looked edible enough, though she hardly trusted the outer appearance of anything.

"Eat," Ulquiorra ordered before taking his seat on the sofa, one leg crossed over the other and his hand propped under his chin.

Inoue felt instantly uncomfortable, having never liked being watched as she ate.

She knew she could not ask him to leave, however, and so she reluctantly approached the plate that had been prepared for her.

Glancing up at him once, she carried the plate over to the small table and sat in the chair before picking up her fork and taking a bite of food.

The taste was rather bland but at the moment she didn't care, her hunger overpowered her more selective senses.

Silence ensued as she chewed in which the Espada seemed to be lost in thought as his gaze drifted to the door, where it stayed for the remainder of her meal.

After a rather awkward collection of moments, Inoue gently pushed aside her plate and lifted the mug of tea that had finally cooled enough for consumption.

Upon tasting it she fought the urge to grimace at the bitter taste. She always sweetened her tea with at least 3 tablespoons of sugar.

"Is it to your liking?"

Inoue's eyes widened and she looked up to see that though his face remained turned, Ulquiorra's glance had slithered to her.

"Oh," Inoue replied, looking to her tea before meeting his eyes and meekly replying, "Yes, thank you."

He said nothing, simply allowed his eyes to wander to the door once more.

Inoue sighed and looked to the hot beverage she held in her hands, it was warm at least, and that in itself was something she could hardly complain about.

She saw the moon's reflection within the liquid and smiled as she pondered that it somehow brought her a sense of comfort.

'_The Moon,'_ she thought_, 'it must understand me. No one notices it during the day time and at night everyone sleeps and so it just stares down at them sadly, wishing someone would enjoy its company.'_

Inoue sighed and then lifted her gaze to look upon the real object of her thoughts. It glimmered within her eyes, beckoning to her heart. She wondered if Ichigo and the others were looking upon the same moon.

"In Hueco Mundo, the moon is on the opposite lunar phase of that in the Human World."

Widening her eyes, Inoue looked to the Espada curiously, and saw that his gaze had drifted to her again.

"Really?" Inoue asked, somewhat interested in that, "That's a little bit strange, though I suppose it makes sense in its own way."

"Does it?" He replied flatly.

"Well," Inoue lifted a hand to her head and laughed uneasily, "It just seems sort of like this world is opposite to mine, its dead where the other is alive. However, since life and death seem to walk hand in hand, our two worlds are like two different sides of the same thing."

Perhaps that was why the sad world had been created, because there was an opposite to everything. Inoue smiled at her discovery, it made it seem so much more meaningful. Hueco Mundo was a part of something greater, and did not stand on its own.

Ulquiorra's eyes gave absolutely nothing away as to his thoughts concerning what she'd just said. He simply stood and walked over to where the light shone through the window and looked briefly upon the thin sliver of light.

"The same thing, huh?" he replied, though more to himself than to her, "that's wrong…"

Turning, he walked past her and towards the entrance. He paused and looked back to her as he opened the door and eyed her passively, "What you just said is wrong, for you no longer belong to that world."

Thus saying, he departed from the room, leaving Inoue to stare after him as his last words hung within the air.


	3. Making Friends with Shadows

Chapter III

Making Friends with Shadows

_Find beauty not only in the thing itself but in the pattern of the shadows, the light and dark which that thing provides. _

_-Junichiro Tanizaki_

* * *

><p>The days progressed in much the same way, Inoue was alone for the most part save for precise times when a meal would be brought to her, always led by Ulquiorra as if his sole purpose was making sure she ate when she was supposed to. He said as much when she finally asked him about it, stating that it was his duty to make sure she stayed alive for Aizen.<p>

The conversations between he and her were minimal and he would always stay solely for the duration of her meal. Sometimes Inoue wondered why he never ate anything and found that it was rather difficult to venture such an inquiry; he seemed incredibly opposed to reveal anything about himself, no matter the magnitude of the inquest.

At one time, during her third and final meal of the day, Inoue looked to Ulquiorra to see that, as usual, his gaze was fixated upon the door. She wondered if it bored him to have to sit through her supper, for surely there were many other things he could be doing.

With a resigned sigh, she ate the last of the food on her plate and then gathered everything back onto the tray as she always did.

"Finished?" Ulquiorra asked, rising to leave.

"Yes," Inoue replied, placing the platter down.

"Very well," he turned, "I will send someone shortly to retrieve the cart."

As he took a step towards the door, Inoue called out to him, not sure as to his reaction at hearing her say his name.

Turning to look at her, he said nothing.

"Is it alright if I address you like that?" Inoue asked, somewhat anxious as his expression was always frustratingly unreadable. "I mean," she laughed uncomfortably as she brought a hand to her head, "I'll have to call you something."

"If that is what you wish, I don't see how else you could possibly address me" Ulquiorra turned and then left the room.

Inoue closed her eyes and heaved a sigh of relief as she lowered her hand, he hadn't seemed all that angry, though she knew she wouldn't be able to tell if he had been.

Since then, she continued to call him by his name and was content to find that he didn't seem to mind.

However, during her times of solitude, Inoue found that she was still susceptible to depressing thoughts and did all she could to distract herself from them. She could hardly say that she looked forward to her meetings with the Espada, but it did provide an escape from the reality of her situation.

All in all, there were but three times a day, about 15 minutes in length apiece in which she was not completely left to herself.

23 hours and 15 minutes a day was far too much time to constantly have to avoid all thoughts that would potentially break her resolve.

Inoue sat on the couch several hours after her evening meal and idly fidgeted her hands in her lap as she gazed down at the pattern of light on the floor.

Suddenly thinking of something to preoccupy herself, Inoue extended her hands and then arranged them in such a way that a shadow resembling a rabbit emerged. She bounced its ears up and down as a small smile spread across her face; she found it rather cute.

Next she created a bird and flapped its wings across the floor, instilling the illusion that he was flying. She made it soar along the beams of light, until it finally disappeared into the surrounding blackness.

'_Hmm,'_ she thought, _'what now?'_

Thinking for a moment, an idea came to her and she again placed her hands into the light.

First, she created a face and then extended one finger into the air so as to create a single horn. She chuckled, "its Ulquiorra."

"Indeed," came a flat reply.

"Ah!" Inoue jumped, her creation disappearing instantly. "You scared me!"

The Espada simply closed the door behind him and entered, "What were you doing?"

Inoue fidgeted uneasily, "I was creating shadow puppets."

"Is that something you enjoy?" he asked.

"Huh?" Inoue asked, her smile disappearing. "Well," she looked down to the ground, "yes, I suppose I do."

Saying nothing, Ulquiorra simply moved across the small space and took a seat on the other side of the sofa, "well then by all means continue."

Inoue blinked as he closed his eyes, the side of his face resting against his hand, which was propped against the arm of the couch.

"Uhm," she began; curious as to why he had entered at a time that deviated from the norm, "did you need something?"

Ulquiorra didn't look at her, and his face remained passive. "You are under my surveillance; I am allowed entrance whenever I choose, and I am certainly under no obligation to need anything as a prerequisite to do so."

Cryptic as always, though Inoue could hardly say she wasn't expecting such a response. Perhaps he simply had nothing else to do.

Deciding to ignore his presence as best she could, Inoue continued to create several more shadows across the floor, sometimes having them interact. Creating a one-handed bunny and a spider on the other, she pretended that the former was being chased. Around and around they went until finally the spider tired and retreated, leaving the bunny to enjoy the rest of his day.

"Why such an outcome?" Ulquiorra asked, causing Inoue to turn in surprise as she realized he had been watching the movements across the floor.

"Should it not have been more appropriate that the spider catch its prey, thus fulfilling the existence of the weaker being?" he continued.

Inoue stared down at the floor as she thought of a response, "well, I wanted the bunny to live, and so since he has greater stamina, he was able to outlast the spider."

She returned her eyes to him, "I don't think it makes the bunny weak just because he is not a predator. His legs were made for running and escaping should he need to. He is strong on the defensive so that he and the spider will both have a chance to get what they want."

Ulquiorra looked to her then, catching her eyes and holding them still, "Are you saying that they are in some way equals?"

Inoue nodded after a moment, "yes, life would be too easy for the spider if nothing was able to escape him, and the rabbit population would disappear if they always fell to predators. They were made to escape so that their existence could continue."

"That's an intriguing theory," the Espada replied, "but it is wrong."

"Huh?" Inoue asked, her eyes widening slightly.

"The stronger predator always catches his prey, despite possessing the ability to escape. There is always someone who is able to overpower the weaker creations of the food chain, to overtake those who exist solely for the nutrition of predators. To deny that existence is to defy the very foundations of the world."

"But," Inoue replied, looking down to where her hands were now clutching at the skirt of her dress, "there are also those who protect the weaker creations, those who strive for more than instinct."

"No," Ulquiorra replied, "that is a false illusion. This 'protector' you speak of merely longs for a more powerful means to sustain itself, simply because weaklings could never satiate its immense hunger."

"You're wrong!" Inoue looked up to him, her brows furrowed, "that cannot be right, there is more to existence than that!"

Ulquiorra looked away, as if deciding that arguing with her was pointless. "You cannot understand because you have already been deluded by your fantasies."

"How can you claim to know everything?" Inoue asked, "How can you claim to know of things you've never seen?"

"Nothing escapes my sight," Ulquiorra replied, "and I have no need to believe in anything that cannot be seen."

Inoue felt tears pricking the corners of her eyes, as the intensity of her feeling on the subject surfaced, "I'm speaking of having a soul, the purpose of a soul being that it provides an existence with something more than instinct."

"Oh?" Ulquiorra replied, his voice flat, "so that is the purpose of a soul, then?" He looked to her, "what you speak of is nonsense."

Inoue turned her face away and brought a hand over her eyes to extinguish the tears.

She no longer wanted to discuss such things with the Espada, he couldn't possibly see things the way she did.

"It seems I've upset you," Ulquiorra observed, though without remorse.

Inoue shook her head, "no."

"I don't understand the point in denying something so obvious," Ulquiorra persisted.

Without responding, Inoue turned her head slightly, "I'm not upset."

"So be it," he replied, deciding against continuing the ridiculous discussion.

Silence ensued, in which they both simply sat and stared at nothing in particular. Inoue snuck a glance in his direction and wondered what he was thinking of, if anything at all.

As he suddenly glanced to her, Inoue immediately averted her eyes and was glad when he refrained from commenting on the matter.

They sat for countless hours and Inoue felt herself slipping away from the conscious world, her dreams lying in wait to reprieve her mind. She was thankful that nightmares at least seemed unable to find her, thought it was possible that the reason was the fact that her waking life had become a nightmare itself.

Long after her eyes had closed and the first waves of sleep waited to consume her, she felt Ulquiorra rise from the couch and close the door as he left the room.

Her mind was then greeted with dreams of a field, where rabbits hopped to and fro, without a care in the world and certainly without any spiders interfering.


	4. A Dance Without Music

Chapter IV

A Dance without Music

_In a dancer, there is a reverence for such forgotten things as the miracle of small beautiful bones and their delicate strength. _

-Martha Graham

* * *

><p>Placing a foot forward on the floor, Inoue smiled and then spun quickly. She held her arms out and closed her eyes as she continued to twirl about. Imagining that she was a ballerina and that all the people in the crowd were cheering for her, Inoue felt the heaviness over her heart lift slightly.<p>

However, as she opened her eyes, she was met with the emptiness of her cell and sighed at the sight. She had never felt so lonely, even after her brother's accident. At the very least, Tatsuki-chan had been around to keep her company.

And then Ichigo and everyone else had become an irreplaceable part of her life…

Closing her eyes once more, she imagined Ichigo's arms around her, holding her close and keeping her safe. Continuing to slowly dance over the rug under the light of the moon, she couldn't help but feel a little awkward, as she had never been good at things like dancing, especially without any music.

Softly humming, Inoue swayed about and twirled for countless moments, her mind erased of all else but the melody she had chosen.

She remembered that she would often dance with her favorite stuffed toy when she was little, and how she would feel an overwhelming sense of embarrassment whenever her brother would unexpectedly enter and catch her doing so.

It used to be her dream to become a famous dancer, though now that she was older there were many things she wanted to do, that particular fantasy a now bygone dream.

Although, she suddenly thought sadly, that could be said for all of her ambitions now, as not one of them would ever have any hope of becoming fulfilled in the world she now found herself.

Stopping her spinning, Inoue slowly knelt to the floor. It was becoming more and more difficult to simply occupy her mind to try and distract from her situation.

With the slow passing of time, the realization that her future had been altered forever was something she could no longer deny.

Dragging her legs up to her chest she rested her head against them and wrapped her arms about her knees, clutching tightly.

Though she heard the door open for her meal, it did not serve as a prompt for Inoue to rise from her position. Through her immobility, however, she couldn't help but feel relieved at the distraction, though she knew it to be only temporary, after which she would have to once more endure the suffocating emptiness.

She heard Ulquiorra's steps as he approached her and fought the urge to raise her head in response. He wanted her to stand and eat and, though she was disheartened, Inoue could not understand her own immense desire to do the opposite.

"Woman," he began, "stand."

He had commanded her and yet she felt no reply from the muscles in her legs, only the inability to do as they were told.

"When I tell you to stand, I expect you to do so," The Espada continued, "disobedience to me is disobedience to Aizen, and Aizen wills that you should eat and keep yourself alive."

Inoue finally lifted her head to see him gazing passively down at her, his hands placed securely in his pockets, his posture straight.

She hesitated momentarily before releasing her hold over her legs and allowing them to bring her to stand and face him.

"Has something provoked your defiance?"

Inoue looked down at the floor, "no, nothing."

He regarded her silently a moment before turning and motioning for her to grab her plate.

Inoue did as instructed before taking her place at the small table and going through the learned gestures of eating.

Upon completion, she did as always and placed the empty plate onto the cart and then looked to Ulquiorra, expecting him to rise and leave her for the duration of an ensuing several hours.

However, seeing that he had no intent to do so, she resigned to reclaim her seat at the table.

She noted that the Espada's eyes were closed as he sat motionless, the listless expression on his face unchanging.

She again wondered if he ever slept, though she knew better than to fall for that explanation as to his continued presence.

"You seem depressed," Ulquiorra suddenly stated, "is it perhaps that your confinement has begun to take its toll?"

Inoue blinked, "Wha-," she looked down at her hands, "well, I mean, no, that's not it…"

"Regardless," Ulquiorra rose from the sofa, returned his hands to his pockets and looked to the door, "follow me."

"Huh?" Inoue's eyes widened.

He turned to look at her, "don't make me repeat myself, woman, just do as I say."

Slowly rising from her seat, Inoue walked over to him, a cautious expression overtaking her features. "Where are we going?"

Opening the door, he replied "A walk."

Inoue followed him into the hall, still a bit confused as to the sudden turn of events.

Ulquiorra led her down one winding passage after another and Inoue found herself amazed by the apparent vastness of the stronghold.

Finally stopping at a door, the Espada opened it and then stood aside, indicating that she was to walk in front.

Inoue quietly complied, and then stepped outside onto the sands of Hueco Mundo, the wind howling around her and the moon blinding as it gazed down at her from within the sky.

"Ul-" she began turning to look at him, only to find that he was closing the door.

Looking to her he swept a hand across the expanse of desert, "You may wander anywhere you like, I'll be following behind."

Inoue stared up at him silently. Why? Why allow her to roam free? Wasn't he concerned she might try and escape?

However, as the thoughts presented themselves, she understood that though it appeared he was giving her more freedom, he was actually restricting her more than ever. He was giving her a taste of the liberty she would never know.

'_And besides,_' she concluded, _'even if I wanted to escape, there is no way I'd be able to outrun him.'_

Ulquiorra looked to her, "if you are wondering why I'm doing this, then I would have you know that I've simply recognized the need. I often overlook your human necessities, and I understand that confinement often leads to insanity in you people, which I cannot have."

"Oh," Inoue replied, before suddenly turning and looking to the horizon. Though she could possibly take offense from his answer she was hardly one to pass over the opportunity to stretch her legs and allow her mind the opportunity for rejuvenation.

Thus, she sprinted forward and instantly felt an accompanying uplift within her emotions, as if the weight of her captivity was somehow lessened a little bit.

Her legs moved quickly and she reveled in the feeling, for she had not been able to give them so much reign since she had arrived.

Looking back to the Espada, she saw that he followed at a leisurely pace, hands in pockets and a fixated expression on his face. His eyes watched her but he allowed for a considerable amount space between them.

Inoue knew though, that if she tried anything, that space could be crossed in the blink of an eye.

She lifted a hand to her head as her hair was swept around her by the gusts of wind. Breathing in the fresh air, Inoue smiled and closed her eyes before opening them and seeing that a small lizard had crawled over to her foot.

Stooping down, she looked upon the creature and widened her eyes when she saw a small hole within his back. _'It's a hollow too.'_

Inoue brought her hand to the animal and hesitated a moment as her fingers hung suspended in the air. She then smiled as it tilted its head to one side and then ran a single finger along its back before realizing with a start that it felt just like the lizards back home.

"Ulquiorra, look!" Inoue exclaimed, scooping the lizard into her palm and looking up to see that the Espada had come to stand beside her, his gaze locked curiously on where her hand was cupped around the creature.

He said nothing, simply continued to stare down at the scene, as if hypnotized by it.

Inoue regarded him curiously before slowly lowering her hand and allowing the lizard to escape and burrow beneath the sand.

She stared after the creature fondly before standing and continuing to walk towards nothing in particular.

She held her arms behind her back; her hands clasped together, an easy smile lingering upon her face. She reminded herself of her own promise to make the best of her situation. She was going to enjoy life no matter what.

Seeing the little lizard made it clear that Hueco Mundo was not an evil world at all, and that it was still filled with life, despite how sad that life was lived.

After what seemed like an eternity, Inoue found herself following Ulquiorra back to the fortress, at his prompting. He led her back to the cell she so dreaded before pausing midstep as he turned to leave.

"I found your reaction to that creature rather strange."

Inoue furrowed her brows a moment before understanding what he was referring to, "strange?"

"Yes," he replied, before turning to her. "He was a hollow, one of our kind and yet you reached out and touched him. I cannot understand your response."

Lowering her gaze, Inoue thought of a reply, "well, at first I wasn't sure but when he looked up at me he just looked so charming that I couldn't help but reach out to him."

She then smiled and returned her eyes to his, "and he felt the same as the lizards where I'm from, there really wasn't any difference at all."

"No difference?"

Nodding, Inoue replied, "I mean, he was obviously hollow, but he behaved the same and even felt the same. There really wasn't any reason why I should've felt afraid."

Regarding her wordlessly, Ulquiorra seemed to be thinking something over before turning to leave. "All the same, I found it strange."

Inoue watched him leave and continued to stare at the closed door for several minutes following. The Espada was becoming more and more of a riddle. He seemed to be more interested than he should've been concerning her whims on thoughts. Did he truly not understand humans at all?

What was it that he was trying so hard to comprehend?

Inoue suddenly felt her first wave of pity towards the being that was Ulquiorra Cifer.


	5. Sands of Time

Chapter V

Sands of Time

_Time has been transformed, and we have changed; it has advanced and set us in motion; it has unveiled its face, inspiring us with bewilderment and exhilaration. _

_-Khalil Gibran_

* * *

><p>It seemed that every other day was becoming the norm for outside ventures, and Inoue found that she actually looked forward to the excursions.<p>

She saw no more lizards but she was learning a great deal about the nature of Hueco Mundo. At one point she saw in the distance a great hollow beast overcome and devour a smaller creature, and Inoue instantly understood Ulquiorra's views on the spider/rabbit scenario, though she still felt no cause to share them.

The desert swirled around her and she slipped off her shoes to feel the grains of sand beneath her feet. It was bitingly cold but she didn't mind, it was nice to feel something other than the marble of her cell, something real and alive.

Ulquiorra always kept his distance, she noted, and felt as if he supposed close proximity would only serve to negate his purpose in bringing her outside.

Inoue had slowly come to accept his detached nature, and decided that it was better than an alternatively short-tempered captor.

On their return down the hall one night, they were met with another of the Espada. He was leaning against the wall and, upon seeing the pair, slowly made his way over to them. Inoue had seen some of the others upon her arrival, but this one was new, and he instantly made her feel cold and uneasy.

"Yo, Ulquiorra!" His snake-like smile widened and the slits of his eyes narrowed maliciously. "Out for a stroll, eh?"

He looked to the girl, "and I see you've brought your pet along, how…endearing."

"Nnoitra," Ulquiorra responded, without wavering, "what a surprise to find you lurking about in the halls."

"Eh?" The other Espada responded, "You tryin' to be funny?"

Ulquiorra did not reply, simply gazed up at him without sentiment.

Nnoitra grinned and then instantly moved to stand behind Inoue, resting his slithering hand upon her shoulder. "Smells nice and pretty too, I can see the appeal. You have good taste, Ulquiorra."

Ulquiorra turned to look at him, "step away."

"Oh?" The other responded, running a hand through the girl's scarlet tresses. "A bit protective, aren't we?"

Inoue remained motionless, her eyes wide. She cringed at the touch of the looming Espada, and swallowed hard.

She saw Ulquiorra's eyes drift to hers briefly before he quickly, too quickly for her eyes to perceive, moved behind her and placed one hand over Nnoitra's arm.

"You finally prepared to fight me, eh?" The latter replied, his smirk spreading. "I never thought this pet of yours capable of provoking such a response from you."

"It is not my intent to fight you," Ulquiorra replied, "but only to escort her safely to her chambers; to defy me is to defy Aizen himself."

"Like I care about something like that!" Nnoitra laughed, "If that means a fight with you than I am happy with whatever punishment awaits."

Nnoitra moved his free hand to grasp the hilt of his sword, "or do I need to provoke you further still?" Thus saying he bent to Inoue and ran his tongue along her cheek, resulting in a sharp intake of breath from the subject of his gesture.

Ulquiorra tightened his grip on the Espada's arm and the latter drew his sword in response. Inoue stood beneath his hold and found she could not even move a step.

Looking up, however, her eyes widened at the immensity of the Espada's weapon. What rank was he? Was he stronger than Ulquiorra?

Sighing, Ulquiorra closed his eyes a moment before returning them to Nnoitra. "If a fight is what it will take to fulfill my task, then so be it." He allowed his free hand to rest upon the hilt of his sword, the other tightening over the other Espada's arm.

Nnoitra chuckled excitedly before pulling his arm free and thrusting Inoue to the ground.

Inoue sat up and looked to the pair, her eyes continuing to widen. Ulquiorra looked so small beside the other Espada, so much so that she truly wondered at the outcome.

"Ul-" she began, about to call out to him, then finding that she could not find voice enough to recite his name.

"I've been waiting for this!" Nnoitra proclaimed eagerly.

"As expected," Ulquiorra replied, "though it only makes you more pathetic."

"Ha!" The other replied, "We'll see who's more pathetic when I cut you down!"

Ulquiorra made no move to draw his sword, simply placed one hand into his pocket. "It's pathetic," he said again, "that you assume yourself to be on the same level as me."

"Not even going to draw your blade, eh?" Nnoitra laughed and then rushed towards the other, "So be it!"

Inoue watched the scene and looked nervously to Ulquiorra. _'Why is he not drawing his sword?'_

As Nnoitra sped towards Ulquiorra, the latter stepped sideways and instantly grasped the sword as it came crashing down to strike.

Nnoitra glared before he was sent flying back after receiving a round kick from his opponent.

Blinking, Inoue furrowed her brows. She had barely even seen what had taken place, they were both moving so fast.

"Don't think you can defeat me so easily," Nnoitra countered before running towards his rival.

Ulquiorra calmly waited before reaching out to grab hold of the sword once more. However, Nnoitra changed his attack direction at the last second and the former widened his eyes at having missed the weapon.

Dodging as the scythe came roaring down, Ulquiorra jumped and twisted in the air before landing several feet away.

"It pains me that you aren't taking this seriously," Nnoitra replied before moving towards him again.

The fight continued in much the same way, during which Ulquiorra continued to fight without his weapon.

Inoue wondered if he was even really trying to defeat his opponent, who seemed to have the opposite intent.

She could hardly see a thing, but as far as she could tell, neither had yet been harmed.

"Tsk, Tsk, fighting amongst ourselves are we?"

The girl turned to see Grimmjow approaching the group, a smirk on his face.

Ulquiorra and Nnoitra seemed too preoccupied to notice the presence of the newcomer, though Inoue swore she had seen the former cast a glance in her direction.

"So, what's this all about?" Grimmjow continued, looking to Inoue, "it seems I've missed out on some excitement."

Not finding any words to reply with, Inoue simply averted her gaze to the sparring pair.

"It would seem uptight, Ulquiorra-san is not taking this seriously at all," Grimmjow observed with a widening grin, "such a shame, I've been dying to see him go all out."

"Is he stronger?" Inoue suddenly asked, though wondered to herself why it mattered so much.

"HAHA!" came Grimmjow's response, "now that is a fair question, ain't it?" He then seemed to ponder it a moment, "but who really knows, I've never seen either of them reach their true potential. Ulquiorra's a rank above but that hardly matters, in a real fight there are many different things to consider."

Inoue blinked and then looked away from him, "I see…"

She knew Grimmjow to be the rank 6, but she had never wondered where Ulquiorra was placed. She assumed it was higher, since she had been entrusted to his care. Aizen obviously trusted in his abilities enough for that.

"Agh!" Grimmjow suddenly grunted before walking toward the pair, "I was gonna let this continue but it's just so boring that I can't stand it any longer. Oy! Ulquiorra, Nnoitra!"

The two stopped and turned to the Espada that approached.

"Go steal someone else's fight!" Nnoitra complained.

Ulquiorra, however, straightened and turned to Grimmjow, seemingly content with the interruption.

"Eh?" Grimmjow responded to Nnoitra with an easy shrug, "that's not it at all; you're always so quick to assume the worst." He then tilted his head to one side with a grin, "Aizen wants us."

Ulquiorra nodded and then immediately walked past him to where Inoue was now standing.

Nnoitra glared at his retreating opponent before grudgingly following Grimmjow. As he walked past Ulquiorra he hissed in his ear, "This ain't over."

Ulquiorra simply glanced at him and refrained from replying, waiting until he and Grimmjow had turned the corner before looking to Inoue.

"Let's go," he commanded before walking past her and toward the direction of her cell.

Inoue stood still a moment as she watched him walk away, her hands clasped together tensely, still not having recovered from the shock of all that had happened. She then moved forward and slowly followed behind, lost in thought.

Upon arriving at her quarters, he stepped aside and allowed her to enter first before following her inside.

Inoue stood facing away from him for several moments, her gaze fixated upon the wall. She was unsure what to say, as so many different things were coursing through her mind.

She finally turned to see that he was simply staring at her, blank and distant.

"Thank you," she began meekly, not sure if it was the right thing to say, "I-"

"Why are you thanking me?" Ulquiorra replied indignantly, "I didn't do that for you. What I did was for Aizen, and he alone."

Inoue looked away, "all the same, I'm grateful…"

She shuddered at the memory of the other Espada's touch, his elongated fingers upon her shoulder, caressing her hair and gripping her tightly. She had felt so immobilized and when he ran his tongue along her skin it had been unbearably dreadful.

"I know that you didn't do it for me," she closed her eyes and offered a small smile, "but I can't imagine what would've happened, had Ulquiorra not been there." She looked to him, "and when you fought him, I was silently cheering you on, and I was even a bit frightened."

"Frightened?" He asked dully, though with a hint of curiosity, "frightened of what?"

Inoue wriggled her hands nervously, "I was-" she felt her eyes water slightly, "I was frightened that he was stronger than you, I've never asked your rank and then Grimmjow said that didn't even matter and so…and so I was frightened that he was going to defeat you."

Ulquiorra's eyes widened at her statement, "you, were…frightened that I would be defeated?" He then looked away, "that is ridiculous, I cannot even comprehend why you would say such a thing."

Inoue looked down at her hands. Having seen the other Espada she had inadvertently begun comparing him to Ulquiorra and had realized how different they were from one another. It was like they were worlds apart and after that encounter, her captor did not seem so very bad at all.

"Ulquiorra's different somehow," she replied.

Ulquiorra sighed and turned to leave, "I am no different than he, we were created the same and have lived the same. There is nothing that separates us other than the apparent difference in our strength."

Inoue looked to him but did not respond, she hardly knew what to think anymore. She was certain, however, that what he was saying was wrong. They _were_ different, on some level.

Opening the door, he stepped into the hall and without turning he proclaimed, "And I am the fourth ranked Espada."


	6. Moment of Acceptance

Chapter VI

Moment of Acceptance

"_There's release in knowing the truth no matter how anguishing it is. You come finally to the irreducible thing, and there's nothing left to do but pick it up and hold it. Then, at last, you can enter the severe mercy of acceptance." _

― _Sue Monk Kidd_

* * *

><p>Over the days that followed, Ulquiorra did not again offer to allow Inoue out of her cell and she wondered if it was because he wanted to avoid another situation with the other Espada. However, he continued to linger after her evening meal on most nights.<p>

Most of the time he simply sat on the sofa and gazed absently at the wall, his mind and expression unreadable.

Inoue usually sat on the other side of couch, as far from him as possible, also lost in thought. It was somehow a comfortable calm within the silence, and though she was not reprieved from her inflicting mind, the mere presence of another person aided her ability to overcome it.

It was on one such night that Inoue ventured to ask something she had been wondering about. "Why don't you ever eat?"

"What?" He responded, looking to her.

"Well, it's just that you always stick around while I eat my meals but I never see you eat anything."

Ulquiorra regarded her curiously a moment and she wondered if her question actually had angered him after all.

"I feed on the reiatsu that comprises the whole of Hueco Mundo," he responded, "I have no need of the same conventional 'food' as you."

"Could you eat it though, if you wanted?" Inoue asked then.

Ulquiorra looked away, "I don't see why I would, it would not benefit me in any way."

"But there are so many different dishes and there are so many things you can do with hundreds and hundreds of ingredients," Inoue replied dreamily, imagining her favorite sweet bean bread. She missed eating lunch with Tatsuki-chan and Rukia-chan under their favorite tree in the school yard.

Ulquiorra looked to her almost incredulously before looking away and deciding against responding.

Inoue sighed and did not press the issue further; she supposed it wasn't his fault that he didn't know about all the many things of the human world, least of all the cuisine.

"You do as you must to survive," Ulquiorra unexpectedly began, "why the need for anything extra? Why the diversity? It only seems to complicate the essential nature of things."

Inoue looked to him and smiled, "well, it makes things more interesting. It would be so boring having to eat the same thing every day."

She then remembered that he had been feeding her the same thing every day and her eyes widened, "uhm, I mean, er, but not to me. I love eating the same thing every day." She laughed nervously and brought a hand to her head.

Ulquiorra simply regarded her without expression until her smile finally wore down and she simply gazed at him through a pair of bright eyes.

As he continued the wordless interlude, Inoue glanced down at her hands. It once again struck her that he seemed to be searching for something. Upon his tear-marked face, though void of expression, she could see a glimmer of…something. Something that stated that the mind behind the façade was indeed filled with many conflicting things.

Seeming to decide that it was time to leave, Ulquiorra rose from the sofa, hands in pockets and ventured to the door. Without turning he stepped into the hall, "until tomorrow, woman." He then closed the door, leaving Inoue to herself.

Releasing a sigh, Inoue layed down against the sofa, her hands resting comfortably beneath her head. She had finally almost completely dispelled all the hopeless feelings she had initially experienced. As long as things continued as they were then she felt she would be alright.

However, she was not one to delude herself, for she knew without a doubt that within the near future things would take a turn for the worst. Aizen would call upon her to restore the Hogyoku and then use it to complete whatever menacing task he so endeavored. After which, she was timid to consider what would become of her. For all she knew, Ulquiorra himself would receive the orders to finish her off.

She even had to consider the possibility that he would not hesitate, should that moment arrive. There was no reason for him not to; he probably couldn't wait to continue living his existence without the burden of keeping watch over her.

Closing her eyes, she thought of that Espada, so confusing and closed off from everything. She wanted to know what it was he so obviously sought. His entire persona gave off an immense feeling of emptiness and despair. Inoue could not even imagine what it must have been like to progress as a hollow.

Inoue sighed, it didn't matter what happened to her she decided then. Her friends were safe and that was what mattered most.

She had made the choice to follow Ulquiorra for them, and she did not in any way regret it. If her death was to arrive at his hand then she was prepared to accept it. She was certainly under no illusion that he would offer her any form of mercy. He was her captor and she his prisoner, that was all there was to it. The facts were blindingly obvious and she would feel a fool if she were to oppose them.

Reveling in the comfort of the soft texture of the sofa, Inoue breathed slowly, and invited sleep. However, she felt it was delaying to arrive and so she resigned to simply lay still and enjoy the atmosphere of temporary serenity.

She thought of Ichigo and smiled to herself. She missed him, more than he knew. And the others, she missed them too. She regretted only that she had not been able to say goodbye to everyone.

They had always been so strong for her and now it was her chance to repay them for all they had done. She would shine like the sun and remain faithful to her cause. She knew there had to be some reason for her arrival, destiny was always moving forward and she was a firm believer in fate. She would meet her friends again, one way or another, whether in life or after death.

Running a hand over her hair, Inoue thought of her brother and how she had chosen to keep her strands long for his sake, despite all the people who had mocked her for it.

Opening her eyes, she lifted a hand and observed it. It was such a sad thing that her powers for healing and helping others were to be used on something so evil and destructive.

She then thought of something, something that had not previously dawned on her. She had the power to reject, had the power to change the course of history itself.

With a start, her eyes widened and her heart skipped a beat. She could reject the Hogyoku from ever being made! The elation she felt at the prospect was overwhelming and she felt tears spring to her eyes as she found that her purpose had been discovered. She and she alone had the power to possibly reject that which was so seemingly indestructible.

Inoue closed her eyes, thinking the idea over and finally feeling the faintest gleam of hope. At the very least she could try and if it failed than she wouldn't be any worse off than before.

However, the risks were high and she definitely wasn't certain she was powerful enough to accomplish such a feat. If the Espada perhaps harmed her friends in retribution than it would be a guilt she would have to bear for the rest of her life…

That was, if Ulquiorra didn't quickly dispose of her soon after.

Inoue felt weighted at the thought, but accepted it for what it was. He was merely fulfilling the wishes of his master, and nothing more. He was not in any way obligated to keep her alive, if ever she should cross he, Aizen or any of the others.

Torn between her two options, Inoue knew she couldn't just sit idly by and await her impending death. Her friends would be attacked by the Espada regardless and she would soon outlive her usefulness, whether she betrayed Aizen or not.

It appeared that there was only one road to take and she prayed she would have the strength to pursue and accomplish her goal. Fear threatened to drown her but she remained surfaced and looked to the horizon, where she saw the flickers of light, beckoning to her heart and waiting for her to return to the arms of the world she had left behind…

Sleep came then, and Inoue drifted down into the realm of her conscious mind, her dreams as yet absent and her thoughts barred from interfering with the rest she so desperately needed.

Something continued to bother her, however, despite the goal she had set and the acceptance of her future, and it weighed down on a portion of her heart that she could not name.

A faint glimmer of light within her mind soured through the chambers of her soul and a part of her subconscious recognized that the weight over her heart was attributed to the Espada. That small part of her knew that despite everything and despite accepting that she meant nothing to Ulquiorra, a feeling of sadness would result if her were to ever raise his hand to her.


	7. Unveiling

Chapter VII

Unveiling

"_In this moment, there is plenty of time. In this moment, you are precisely as you should be. In this moment, there is infinite possibility." _

― _Victoria Moran_

* * *

><p>Inoue layed on the couch, sleeping deeply for countless hours, well past the typical period of rest her mind required. When she felt herself finally feel the first glimmers of consciousness she was not even aware how much time had passed.<p>

Sitting slowly, though still a bit blearily, she brought a hand to her eyes and rubbed them gently. She stretched her arms over her head and then turned and suddenly inhaled in surprise.

"U-Ulquiorra, how long have you been sitting there?"

"Not long," came his reply before rising from the table across the room, "but now that you're awake I'll have your meal brought in."

Inoue looked away and then rose to a standing position, her legs still feeling a bit feeble from her sleep.

"Thank you," she meekly replied.

Ulquiorra looked to her then, as if sensing something was off.

Feeling his eyes upon her, Inoue looked to him and forced a smile. Her resolve from the previous day still fresh on her mind as well as the contemplations concerning the potential task the Espada before her would be entitled to carry out.

Regarding her silently, Ulquiorra stepped towards her, "Have you become ill?"

Inoue shook her head, "no." She laughed weakly, "I'm fine, really."

Seeing that he wasn't convinced, Inoue lowered her hand from its place upon her head and allowed her smile to dissipate. Silence followed a bustle of wind which swept past her as she debated how much, if anything, to reveal to the Espada before her.

Ulquiorra's face remained passive, though she saw a more guarded glint within his eyes as he awaited her explanation.

"What is going to happen to me?"

Her question hung within the air as if fate itself was tense and wary to reveal what his response would be.

The moments slipped forward and Inoue lifted her gaze carefully and looked to see that he was still silently observing her.

Then, turning his face to the side, Ulquiorra closed his eyes momentarily, before opening them and continuing to look away.

"Whatever Aizen-sama wills."

Inoue lowered her eyes, "I see."

Another silent interlude followed, in which neither looked to the other. Inoue had been granted the answer she sought, for without a doubt Aizen would order her death as soon as she had fulfilled her purpose. There was no other reason to keep her alive.

"Are you afraid?" He then asked, still averting his gaze.

As the question struck, Inoue took her time and analyzed every single thing that had befallen her. It did not take long however, to discover, the appropriate and unexpected response.

She looked to him, "no, I am not afraid."

Eyes widening, he looked to her. "Not afraid?"

Inoue shook her head and smiled sadly, "whatever happens to me, it'll be okay, because I know that my friends will be safe and that it was meant to be."

She clasped her hands together and held them close to her heart, as if every beat were in unison with those she loved most. "I will see them all again, I know, no matter when, no matter where."

Her smile widened, "and it'll be alright, because I have something to look forward to, no matter what."

Ulquiorra was silent for several moments before suddenly raising a hand and pointing his fingers towards her chest, as if aimed to strike. "And what would you do, if I am indeed the one whom Aizen orders to end your life?"

Smile fading, Inoue lowered her eyes once more to the hand outstretched before her. "I already understand that I'm nothing to you, I suppose I wouldn't feel betrayed or anything like that. Besides, I know there is nothing I would be able to do." She looked to him, "Ulquiorra is so much stronger than me, and I would just have to accept it."

Lowering his hand, Ulquiorra regarded her as if not knowing how to respond.

Inoue closed her eyes and felt incredibly foolish for even bringing the matter up. It certainly did not help her any to know that her captor had her marked for death.

"I certainly don't take any pleasure from killing those who are weaker than I," Ulquiorra replied, "but if Aizen-sama orders me to take your life, I will undoubtedly comply."

Hugging herself closer, Inoue nodded. She thought she had been prepared to accept his inevitable reply but for her speculations to take form within reality, she found that it was something she couldn't have ever been prepared for.

"Do you want me to say that I would defy Aizen for you? A human? Why would I risk my own life for yours? There is no measure of sanity in that."

"I know that," Inoue replied, forcing a smile as she looked to him, "I already know all of that, I'm just…feeling sad for some reason."

Ulquiorra closed his eyes, "that is indeed the pitiable things about emotions. I find myself relieved not to be troubled with them."

"They're not always bad," Inoue defended, "there are so many good emotions that make the bad ones easier to deal with."

"It is all an illusion then, to mask reality," Ulquiorra replied, "it is the absolute weakest thing about you humans." He stepped closer, "weakness is the dominate trait that comprises all of humanity and it can all be indebted to these emotions you so fondly speak of."

"You're wrong," Inoue replied softly, "I think that is what makes us strong. When our souls become one then we are able to endure things we would have never been able to otherwise."

"Are you speaking of yourself?"

"Well…" Inoue looked away, "not just about me."

"Are you saying that your soul has become one with your friends? How can you be certain that they haven't already marked you as a traitor and dismissed you without concern?"

"They wouldn't..." Inoue replied, eyes widened, "there's no way they would think that."

"Oh?" Ulquiorra replied, continuing to near her, "you willingly left with the enemy and became one with us. They will undoubtedly think that you have betrayed them, considering you left them of your own free will."

"It wasn't-" Inoue responded, "what are you saying?"

"I am only explaining that your capture was flawlessly executed so as to create the desired outcome of you being marked a traitor by soul society itself."

Inoue continued to gaze up at him with a fleeting forlorn expression, a hopeless feeling sinking into her. It only took a moment, however, for her strongly founded trust within Ichigo and the others to surface.

Her expression softened and she brought her hands over her heart. She would certainly understand if they felt betrayed, but she knew they would never abandon her in their hearts.

Even then, she could not blame or hold it against them, she had made a choice, and she still did not regret that choice.

The Espada stopped in front of her, and regarded her closely a moment.

"You despise me," Ulquiorra suddenly stated.

"No," she responded, resulting in his eyes widening slightly.

"How can you not?"

"I don't know," Inoue replied before looking to him, "I just know that I don't feel anything like that."

He looked to her with a glimmer of confusion before closing his eyes, "you are a strange woman."

Inoue just continued to look to him before lowering her hands.

Ulquiorra then turned, "Let's just leave it at this: until Aizen-sama directly orders me to end your life, I will not harm you." He glanced at her, "indeed I find myself without the desire to do so otherwise."

Inoue's eyes widened and she found herself unable to respond. From what he had said, his only reason to end her life would be at the cause of Aizen ordering him to, and nothing else.

She smiled finally and nodded, "thank you."

He closed his eyes and looked away, "I've told you before that your thanks is misplaced. I'm only saying that I will not harm you because there is simply no need. Don't look into any sort of meaning beyond that. I in no way think of you as anything above the filth that I regard all humans to be."

Inoue continued to smile, "all the same, I feel grateful."

She imagined Ulquiorra rolling his eyes at her response but, of course, he had not as he would never stoop to an action that was so…human-like.

"I will have your meal brought in," Ulquiorra stated, before turning and walking to the door, "I will return before long."

He left and Inoue felt a wave of tranquility pass over her. Now that they had both been open and established their positions concerning one another, she felt a weight lift from her shoulders and she felt so relieved that he did not seem as entirely heartless as her initial impression suggested.

Thinking over how she had quickly replied in the negative concerning hatred towards him, she smiled. Indeed, she bore no dark feelings towards him, despite his will to turn her friends against her and his confession concerning his loyalty to Aizen.

The unveiling of truth had reawakened a desire within her to accept her fate with open arms. She was not so entirely alone as it seemed. Ulquiorra, she now knew, was lonelier than she would ever feel and she wondered if what he endlessly sought was the final reprieve to that empty suffering.

He was a hollow and yet he seemed not so very different from the humans he so detested. She wondered if he unknowingly envied her race, and if that was the true source of his animosity.

Indeed, Ulquiorra was precisely as he should be, and she could in no way blame him for following all that he had ever believed in.


	8. Vulnerability

Chapter VIII

Vulnerability

_Am I willing to give up what I have in order to be what I am not yet? Am I able to follow the spirit of love into the desert? It is a frightening and sacred moment. There is no return. One's life is changed forever. It is the fire that gives us our shape. _

_-Mary Richards_

* * *

><p>Ulquiorra had returned with her meal and Inoue dutifully sat and ate as he took his usual spot on the couch. She gazed down at her empty plate for countless moments before moving to her tea and relaxing against the chair as she gazed out at the moon. She figured this was her last meal of the day, considering she had slept through both of the others.<p>

Lost in thought, she traced many things through her mind and was relieved that she did not presently feel burdened by her reservoir of feelings.

She wondered what Ichigo and the others were up to, and if any of them had thought of her in passing. She imagined that they were all in school, or skipping class as they often did. She thought of Rukia and Tatsuki-chan eating lunch under the tree, and of the boys eating theirs atop the roof. She wondered what those boys discussed when she and the other girls were not around.

Almost chuckling to herself she imagined that they spoke of things they were afraid of admitting to girls; Such as Ichigo with his stuffed toys, or Sado-kun and his obsession with sweets.

What were Toushiro-kun, and Rangiku-san up to? She hoped they were able to figure out all that her note had informed them of.

She sighed and closed her eyes, thinking of many different memories, her most recent being prominent.

She knew her situation could have been far worse than it actually was, and she was so very grateful for how it had all turned out.

Opening her eyes and looking to her plate, she decided to let Ulquiorra know that he could take the tray and leave if he wanted.

"Hey, Ul-" she began, looking to the couch and then widening her eyes as she saw that he was lying down on his back and looking as if he had fallen asleep.

Slowly rising from her chair she walked over to him, standing over his sleeping form with a hand brought to her parted mouth.

He really _was _asleep, she realized, and with a sudden warmth swelling within her chest, she felt pleased that though he was an Espada, it seemed even _he_ grew tired and needed sleep.

However, her smile faded as she observed his face and saw that it seemed troubled. His breathing also, she realized, was uneasy and she wondered if he was perhaps having a nightmare.

Deciding it would be best to wake him, she leaned forward, and reached her hand out to his shoulder, with the intent of shaking him into consciousness.

However, as his eyes flew open, Inoue immediately withdrew her hand and squeaked in surprise, "Wah! You scared me!"

She then lifted a hand to her head and smiled awkwardly, "I was going to wake you up, but you're awake. I got surprised."

Ulquiorra regarded her absently before slowly pulling himself up.

Inoue walked over to the table and grabbed her plate, before turning to look back at him, "But I was relieved, to know that Ulquiorra-kun could actually sleep."

Not looking towards her, the Espada simply closed his eyes, "...It's Ulquiorra."

He opened them and remained hunched over as he sat on the sofa, his back towards Inoue, one arm resting over his knees and the other against the cushion of the couch. "Don't refer to me as you would a human."

Inoue's smile faded as she regarded his posture, so unlike his usual upright self.

"When you call me," he continued, "call me _Ulquiorra_; call me only that."

Inoue simply gazed at him, an unreadable expression on her face. What had he been dreaming of? With his back facing her the way it was he actually appeared vulnerable and Inoue felt something deep within give way to pity towards the Espada.

She gently set her tray upon the cart, paused and regarded him a moment longer before slowly making her way over to where he sat.

Hesitating a moment she lowered herself onto the couch beside him, in closer proximity than she had ever dared.

Hands in her lap, she simply allowed the silence to surround them, afraid to speak and shatter the tense atmosphere.

Looking to his rigid posture, she briefly entertained the idea of placing a hand upon his shoulder in a gesture of comfort before disregarding the thought. It would most likely do more harm than good.

"I have nightmares too," She spoke barely above a whisper, "and I find it always helps to just not dwell on them."

He said nothing.

Inoue glanced away and leaned back in the seat, looking to the ceiling. "I always used to have my brother to turn to when I would have one but, after he died I-," she closed her eyes, "I had to learn to deal with them on my own."

She looked to Ulquiorra again, "he was turned into a hollow too, you know. He was trapped within the world because he could not let go of me and because he was sad and thought that I had forgotten him. He said he felt lonely and empty and when he turned, all he wanted was to take me so that he would not have to feel alone or forgotten anymore."

She then smiled, "but he found his heart again, in the end, and he was able to pass on in peace. I felt so happy for him."

Seeing that the Espada did not make a motion to move, Inoue lowered her gaze, "I don't know why I was just blabbering on about that sort of thing, I know you don't want to hear about something like that. I guess I feel kind of foolish now."

Then, as she moved to stand, Ulquiorra suddenly reached out and grasped her wrist. His head was turned, and he remained slouched over but his hold on her tightened slightly.

"Ul-" Inoue responded with widened eyes, "What are you…?"

"Woman," he responded then, "stay."

Inoue looked down to where his hand still held hers and she fought an involuntary blush before returning to her position beside him.

Retracting his hand, Ulquiorra straightened slightly and turned so that he could lean back against the sofa as well.

His eyes were not closed, but simply stared straight ahead for countless moments before he finally spoke.

"Your brother," he began, "you said he found his _'heart'_?"

Inoue nodded, "yes." She then tilted her head, "he recognized me and realized then that what he was doing was not what his heart wanted."

"What does that mean?" Ulquiorra replied, "How did he find it again?"

Inoue wondered why it suddenly seemed to matter to the Espada so much but answered all the same, "I don't know, he was fighting his hollow side the entire time and, within a brief moment of freedom he found his heart again and asked Kurosaki-kun to allow him to pass on before he lost control again. He wanted to die as himself."

Ulquiorra was silent following her explanation, though seemed to be intensely thinking it over.

"Your story," he began all the sudden, resulting in Inoue furrowing her brows. "How did the dragon know where to find the castle in the sky?"

He looked into her eyes then, and Inoue's own widened in response as they met his. "How did you-?"

Ulquiorra remained silent and wordlessly observed her as Inoue continued to try and comprehend how he knew about that.

"You were listening to it?" She laughed uncomfortably, "It was just something fun I tried to create, I was pretty upset and I've always loved to create stories."

Ulquiorra closed his eyes, "I see, I thought perhaps it might've been some legend for you people."

Inoue tilted her head to one side, more and more confused as to his cryptic responses before deciding to try and answer his query.

"Well, I suppose he found it because in his heart he knew where it was all along. He just had to follow where it was trying to lead him."

Opening his eyes, Ulquiorra continued to gaze upon her as he considered her response.

Inoue held his scrutiny and reflected on how very different he seemed to her now, and how, though, he was an Espada he had somehow become someone with whom she could escape her loneliness.

Her mind drifted to the war that was sure to come and, though she doubted she would live to see the end, she found herself hoping that he would at least make it through.

Then, as if catching her own train of thoughts, Inoue looked away and smiled uncomfortably. He was an obvious threat to Ichigo and the others, what was she thinking? If he were to survive then that would mean the defeat of the most important people to her.

And still, she decided, she wished that it wouldn't have to end that way…

"Woman," Came Ulquiorra's voice, "It would seem that you think me something different than I actually am."

"Huh?" Inoue asked, "What do you mean?"

"What sort of creature do you think me to be?"

Inoue blinked up at him, before smiling suddenly, "you're the fourth ranked Espada."

Ulquiorra closed his eyes, "that isn't all you consider me to be, though yes, that is the correct answer." He looked to her, "if you truly believed that was all I am."

Inoue wrung her hands in her lap, "Well, I think you seem a bit sad and…I also think that there is something you are looking for…"

She looked away, "and I think you are not always certain yourself what to think of some of the things I say and do…"

Looking down to her lap she smiled to herself, "you are different than the others to me, or maybe it's simply because you've evolved more or something like that. You seem more in control of your actions."

Ulquiorra studied her then with severe interest until she returned her gaze to his. He tilted his head and Inoue swore she spotted the faint presence of a smirk upon the corner of his mouth.

"I'm not sad," he responded only.

Inoue laughed uncomfortably, "well, no, but you look sad to me."

"Do I?" Ulquiorra replied, though it wasn't as toneless as was typical, he seemed to actually consider it as a possibility.

Inoue nodded with a small smile before she suddenly raised a hand and allowed one finger to trace one of the tear impressions upon his cheek.

Ulquiorra's eyes widened at the sudden contact and his body stilled.

Seeing him tense, Inoue immediately withdrew her hand and held it to her head as she laughed anxiously, "sorry, uhm, I don't know what I was doing."

No response came from the Espada as his posture slowly relaxed.

As the moments passed, Inoue berated herself and wondered what had come over her all of the sudden.

Unexpectedly, however, he held out a hand and Inoue looked towards it before looking up to him.

His face remained passive, but his eyes shone with something that resembled curiosity.

Lowering her gaze she slowly lifted her own hand and placed it within his.

He stared down at her hand as he held it awkwardly. Inoue too, seemed to feel the power that seemed to just naturally radiate around him. Her tiny hand looked as delicate as glass within his overpowering grasp. At any moment he could crush every single bone into nothing but dust.

"Your hand is so breakable, woman," Ulquiorra observed, mirroring her own thoughts.

Inoue said nothing, only allowed her eyes to remain fixated on the subject of his comment.

"I never imagined it to be so incredibly fragile," he continued, as if his interest were surmounting.

Briefly pondering over pulling her hand free, Inoue then looked to Ulquiorra and simultaneously relaxed. He was only speculating, he had said he wouldn't hurt her…

Then, all the sudden she felt herself about to yawn and turned her head away and covered her mouth with her unrestricted hand.

Ulquiorra released his hold then, "you are tired, woman."

"No," Inoue shook her head stubbornly, "I mean I've only just woken up, there's no reason I would be-" she stifled another yawn.

Ulquiorra continued to watch her, "sleep."

Looking to him, Inoue waved her hands, "n-no, I'm fine, really."

"Woman," Ulquiorra closed his eyes, "do as I say."

Inoue just lowered her hands slowly, "but…I'm not…"

Silence fell between them and within a matter of minutes, when Inoue's eyes could hardly keep themselves open she saw a faint glimmer of amusement cross Ulquiorra's face before she succumbed to her subconscious.


	9. End of Complacency

Chapter IX

End of Complacency

_How soon will we accept this opportunity to be fully alive before we die? _

― _Stephen Levine_

* * *

><p>Inoue stirred and fought the inevitable consciousness that would soon find and pull her from her dreams. Most of her fantasies were of being home and being surrounded by those she longed to see. However, last night's visions had consisted of nothing but empty white in which she wandered aimlessly as if searching for someone.<p>

Then, as the dream neared its end she found herself lying upon the sands of Hueco Mundo, though it was strangely warm and bright. She opened her eyes and saw the sun, glowing from above. Sitting, she looked around and found that life had replaced the barren wilderness.

Not wanting to leave the beautiful setting, Inoue struggled against waking but her attempts were futile. Opening her eyes slowly, she was greeted with the familiar darkness of her cell, save for the stream of moonlight from her window.

Lifting her gaze she nearly jumped as she spotted Ulquiorra on the other side of the couch, still sitting but with his head leaning into the palm of his hand, his arm resting against the arm of the sofa.

His eyes were closed and he breathed easily, and Inoue realized with a start that he was asleep. Had he stayed all night?

Sitting slowly, she leaned towards him and tentatively placed a hand upon his shoulder.

His eyes opened instantly and he glanced to her before seeming to relax and lifted his head. Regarding her a moment, he leaned forward as if about to rise.

"I did not intend to stay," he stated.

Inoue just smiled uneasily and placed her hand on her head, "no, it's okay, Ulquiorra was tired and so…"

He stood and then placed his hands in his pockets, "I'll have your meal brought in right away. Have you been up long?"

Inoue lowered her hand before shaking her head, "no, only just now."

Nodding, he made his way to the door and left. Inoue watched him go before releasing the breath she had been holding. Looking down to her hands, she marveled that it had been a strange few days.

The Espada had questioned her about the heart her brother had regained and she wondered if that was in fact what he sought. Lifting her hand she remembered how it had felt within his powerful grasp, and at how susceptible she had felt in that moment.

Several minutes passed in which she simply contemplated over all that had taken place within the last several hours.

The sound of voices nearing her cell caused her eyes to immediately avert to the door, where the first thing she saw was the Arrancar that pushed the cart of food, behind which followed Ulquiorra. They both entered and then she saw Grimmjow catch the door before it closed.

"Oy! Don't just ignore me, Ulquiorra!" His teeth glimmered in the darkness before his eyes swept the room and settled upon her, "oh, and it's your little pet-san."

He waved mockingly to her before leaning an arm on Ulquiorra's shoulders. "I've been looking all over for ya! Where've you been?"

The other Espada simply cast him a condescending glare, "my business is of no concern to you."

Grimmjow laughed before removing his arm and stretching, "do I annoy you that much? You hurt my feelings, Cifer."

Ulquiorra ignored him before motioning to Inoue that she was to rise and eat. Inoue slowly stood and tentatively moved past where Grimmjow stood grinning at her. She gathered her plate and then took her time eating, still uncomfortable around such an audience.

"Obedient, ain't she?" He shook his head, "she's somethin' to be sure."

He flexed the arm she had healed and then chuckled, "useful to have around at least."

Without responding, Ulquiorra leaned against the wall beside Inoue, seemingly intent on not replying to the jabs of the lower-ranked Espada.

Grimmjow, however, crossed his arms and then walked over to the table and sat atop it, leering down at Inoue. "Yo, pet-san."

Inoue looked up to him and then offered a small smile in greeting.

"Pretty smile ya got there," Grimmjow jeered, "makes me wish Ulquiorra wouldn't keep you all to himself."

Inoue turned her head away, a frown replacing her smile. She snuck a glance to Ulquiorra who simply stood with his eyes closed, though his aggravation practically radiated off of him.

"Haha! Now ain't that cute," Grimmjow replied, finally standing, "I think she's become quite fond of you, Ulquiorra."

Finally opening his eyes, the other Espada awarded Grimmjow another glare.

Grimmjow smirked and raised his hands defensively, "don't make such a scary face, Mr. Four."

When Ulquiorra didn't say anything, Grimmjow turned and waved him off. "Argh! Have it your way. You were never the sort to have any fun with anyway." He walked over to the door and then paused to look back at Inoue, "later, pet-san." He winked and then exited the room, leaving them alone.

Ulquiorra leaned his head back against the wall and closed his eyes, hands still in his pockets and posture rigid. Inoue looked to him and refrained from saying anything, sensing that he was not in the mood for conversation.

Rising, she grabbed her plate and set it down on the cart, though she had only eaten half her portion. She hoped Ulquiorra wouldn't make her eat the rest, as she had completely lost her appetite. With a sigh, she looked to him once more and saw that he displayed no signs of moving anytime soon. She walked back to her seat and lowered herself into it, allowing her head to rest against her hand and her eyes to look down at the table absently.

Grimmjow seemed the very abrasive type, and also as if he were the sort who could lose himself to his emotions quite easily. It starkly contrasted with Ulquiorra's personality and she realized then that despite being Espada both, they were as different as any two people could be. There was no way one could define them simply on being both of the same type of existence.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Ulquiorra turn his head and look to her and she allowed her eyes to drift over to his in response. Neither moved and both seemed to slowly lose themselves within the gaze of the other. Inoue found she could hardly think at all as the intensity of his emerald eyes held hers completely.

The silence pressed on and it felt as if an eternity has passed before Inoue finally found the will to lower her gaze to her hands; the effect of his eyes slowly ebbing as she was released from them. Everything was so strange, every single moment since that illuminating conversation; their encounters had been both increasingly confusing and simultaneously penetrating.

Catching movement, Inoue looked up to see that he had walked over to her and she felt her eyes widen at his proximity. Leaning forward, he continued to look into her eyes, his face remaining expressionless.

"Ul-" she began before her voice caught in her throat.

Inoue felt a sudden rush of fear but it passed as he subtly sighed, though he had not yet attempted to explain his approach. She remained motionless and barely dared to breathe as she continued to question his behavior. What was he doing? What was he going to say?

Then, at last, he spoke. "Woman, what have you done to me?"

"Huh?" She responded, confused. "N-nothing."

"Nothing?" He countered dully before closing his eyes and straightening. "Before you came along it was easy to not question anything around me, I was able to simply exist and that is all. Now however, it's as if my blissful complacency is being destroyed little by little."

He looked to her, "and it's because of you and your ridiculous views on life. Nothing at all makes sense anymore. Everything you say is so completely inaccurate and yet it somehow disturbs me and makes me consider things I've never wanted to."

Inoue's eyes were wide as his words reached her and she couldn't think of a thing to say in reply.

"I was content in the simplicity of my emptiness," Ulquiorra revealed. "How is it that a powerless creature like you was able to abolish it so entirely?"

"I-" Inoue began before lowering her gaze and still finding she had nothing to say.

"Look at me, woman," Ulquiorra ordered and simply because of the gravity within his tone, Inoue silently complied.

He stared at her a moment before continuing, "there is no such thing as regaining a heart after one has been made hollow, there is no such thing as a way to fill the inevitable emptiness, there is no such thing as hope within this world, there is no such thing as weaker beings escaping from those that are more powerful, and there is certainly no such thing as a woman who does not feeling any hatred towards the one who stole her away from everything she has ever known."

Inoue looked to him and felt a suffocating swell of pity. He looked so…haunted. She closed her eyes before slowly rising from her seat. Hesitating but a moment she then stepped towards him before opening her eyes to stare defiantly back into his own.

He watched her approach passively though she could sense that he was tensing upon every footfall she took that brought her closer. Stopping in front of him, Inoue felt as if she no longer had any control over herself. The entire thing was so surreal and she briefly questioned her sanity before raising both hands and placing them on either side of his face.

He made no move to turn away as his eyes continued to bore into hers, seeking, endlessly seeking for a reprieve from his anguishing confusion. His demeanor was rigid and his posture was tensed in apprehension of what she would do.

Feeling moved by something outside of herself, Inoue neared his face, continuously holding his eyes before allowing her hands to fall at her sides as she altogether stopped, feeling that even her breath held in anticipation as to what the next moment would bring, and what it would mean…

Somewhere within her heart she prayed that he would stop her and allow her mind to regain some semblance of sense, while at the same time hoping that he wouldn't…

His eyes did not waver and as she began to close what distance remained between them, her only thoughts consisted of a response to his previous statement _"I don't despise you because…"_

She paused as her lips hung a mere breath from his own, "_I don't despise you because…"_

As he stared into her eyes, she saw so many questions encompassing his gaze before discovering the very last semblance of his resolve standing upon the brink. Closing her own eyes, Inoue moved forward, past the final dimension that so completely separated them. She brought her lips to his and simultaneously felt that time itself had stilled for them.

It was the instant in which they both felt their carefully constructed walls begin to shatter.

"_I don't despise you because…I see in you a better person just waiting to emerge, a person whom I've come to care for very much…"_

Ulquiorra did not react, simply allowed her kiss to linger a moment. He closed his eyes, and seemed unable to respond. She did not pull away, simply held her lips to his as if that alone were adequate. Then slowly, he brought a hand to her arm as if to push her way before bringing it through her hair, allowing the fiery strands to cascade over his fingertips.

At the contact of his hand, Orihime pulled away and opened her eyes just enough to see that his remained closed and that his face was as still as time itself. She had not expected a return gesture, though she also had to admit that she had not known what to expect. His mouth was parted and she suddenly felt as if her entire world lingered upon what his next words would be.

He opened his eyes then and stared into hers, the confusion deep but the resolve absent entirely.

He lowered his hand from her hair and Inoue lowered her head as she awaited his reaction. She had so completely lost hold of herself, and was now ashamed to comprehend what had just happened. A deep blush extended across her face and she felt as if her skin had been inflamed from sheer humiliation at her own actions.

Ulquiorra then lifted his hand curiously and allowed his fingers to tentatively brush against her lips, as if remembering the way they had felt. He outlined them slowly and Inoue did not move beneath his touch.

Then, withdrawing his hand, he closed his eyes. "Woman…you've now completely destroyed me."

Inoue nodded and continued to bow her head, aware that what she'd just done had been completely wrong.

"What does it mean?" He asked then, resulting in her raising her eyes to his. Ulquiorra opened his eyes, "what did that mean, what you just did?"

Inoue collected her thoughts as best she could, "I-I don't know…"

"I see…." Ulquiorra replied before shifting slightly towards the door. He regarded her silently and Inoue simply stood beneath his gaze, afraid of the inevitable second in which the moment would pass and reality would be allowed to resume.

"I will go," he then stated, before turning and slowly leaving the room, thus allowing time to return and Inoue to feel as if she were about to collapse beneath its immense weight.


	10. Day and Night

Chapter X

Day and Night

_I often think that the night is more alive and more richly colored than the day. _

_-Vincent Van Gogh_

* * *

><p>Inoue spent the rest of the morning in thought, as well as in dread for Ulquiorra's inevitable return with her next meal.<p>

What had she done? Nothing in the world could excuse her actions. She had felt entirely overpowered within the moment and escape had seemed so impossible.

She thought of Ichigo but that didn't serve to alleviate any of her guilt. He was the man she loved and yet…she had kissed the Espada who would willingly kill him without hesitation.

Burying her face within her hands, Inoue forced herself to calm down. She hadn't kissed him because it meant affection or anything like that; she had kissed him solely out of pity and from a sudden desire to comfort him.

That was all it had meant, and Inoue sighed as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

She should've been stronger though, and she knew that it was something that had only served to confuse the Espada further.

Looking to the moon, she forced her mind to focus on her friends. It was imperative that she did not lose sight of her goal. Distractions would only jeopardize her decision.

Then, as the door clicked open, Inoue held her gaze away as long as possible, not feeling entirely ready to face her captor yet.

She felt his presence and grasped her skirt with her hands, her head lowered and her long hair serving to shield her face from him.

However, as the moments pressed on, she slowly lifted her face to look upon him. He merely stood, as he always did, posture straight, face passive and hands in pockets.

Standing, she looked to the tray laden with food but found that hunger eluded her.

However, despite that, she dutifully grabbed her plate and took her seat at the table.

Ulquiorra turned his back to her and absently stared at the wall opposite.

Eating in silence, Inoue couldn't help but allow her eyes to drift to his figure. He seemed the same but, something was undeniably different.

Something that had changed at the hand of a momentary, poor decision.

As the last bite of food entered her mouth, Inoue stood and placed the plate down before remaining standing, one arm grasping the other as if clinging onto the last shred of formality she still had.

They stood facing away from one another for an immeasurable amount of time before Ulquiorra finally turned, glanced at her briefly and then walked to the door.

He paused, his hand lingering upon the knob before continuing his exit and leaving Inoue to herself once more.

Watching him go, Inoue lowered her face and looked to the ground. Things had become worse than ever, and it had been through no fault of his.

With a resigned sigh, Inoue walked over to the patch of light upon the floor. Only one more visit from him and the day would be over.

She shook her head, but then the process would continue. Again, and again, and again.

Deciding to try and sleep some more, Inoue walked over to the couch and layed upon it, reveling in the escape it promised.

Sleep greeted her quickly, and Inoue was afforded formless visions within her mind.

* * *

><p>Ulquiorra slowly walked down the brightly lit halls, his calculated footsteps barely echoing within the open space.<p>

His eyes were set and distant but behind, within the recesses of his mind, a great many thoughts plagued upon memory and contemplation alike.

What had gotten into that woman? How was he supposed to react to what she had done? And, why was he seemingly unable cast it from his thoughts?

The entire ordeal had made him so….livid? Was that the right word for the brewing feeling within his chest?

He felt tempted to ask Aizen to take her off his hands and entrust her to someone else. However, at the same time, he knew that doing so would mean that the infuriating woman had bested him somehow.

He was prepared to never speak with her again, and to keep his distance unless the situation deemed it absolutely necessary for him to stand in her presence.

The intriguing aspects about her were far from the forefront of his desires and he felt as if he no longer wanted to try and decipher the mystery that comprised her entire being.

He was done with the experiment that was Inoue Orihime.

The most alarming thing of all, however, was the fact that for some unnamable reason, a creeping and untutored semblance of…warmth had filled him the moment she had brought her lips to his and that feeling lingered still.

Why was that exactly? And why had such a thing invaded his body where it was neither summoned nor even sought?

His command to his hand had not been obeyed as it traitorously went from pushing her away to mingling within the strands of her hair.

He looked down to the object of his disappointment as he removed it from his pocket.

He hated every tendon upon it, with every fiber of his being, he hated it for reveling within the soft and tantalizing tresses of the individual he now despised more than ever.

Humans were not meant to be so….mesmeric.

"Oy!"

Ulquiorra stopped and closed his eyes as he lowered his hand….Grimmjow, of all beings it had to be him.

"You look as if you are about to sever your own hand!" The Espada observed, pushing himself off of the wall and walking over to Ulquiorra.

The latter looked to the sixth with a practiced glare, "I know I say this all the time but right now I'm really not in the mood to deal with you."

Something in Ulquiorra's voice caught Grimmjow off guard a moment before he swiftly recovered, "Is that so? And…what exactly has roused your typically dormant emotions?"

Ulquiorra's eyes widened briefly before he collected himself and looked away, shoving his treacherous hand into his pocket.

"Not going to grace me with a reply?" Grimmjow sneered, "Can't exactly say that is one of your more unique attributes." He then crossed his arms, "come on now, I dare ya!"

Ulquiorra looked to his leering_ 'comrade'_, "You would be a fool to think I'd succumb to such a jest...oh wait," he tilted his head ever so slightly, "my mistake, I seemed to have forgotten that you claimed that title long ago."

Grimmjow lifted a fist and brought it down to Ulquiorra, stopping just inches from his face, "you're a cocky bastard, ya know that?"

He then straightened and allowed his hand to rest, "but you behavin' this way ain't even worth the trouble. You are, as they put it…listless, even more so than usual despite the presence of actual feelings on yer face."

Ulquiorra stared at him a deliberate moment longer before he maneuvered around him and continued his journey to nowhere.

As he walked away, the words that reached his ears caused a plummeting sensation within his stomach.

"It's that pet of yours, ain't it?"

Pausing midstep to glance back to the other Espada, Ulquiorra found he had nothing to say. His only thought was…why did Grimmjow always choose to become observant in the most inconvenient of situations?

"I thought so," the sixth smirked before turning and confidently striding in the opposite direction.

Ulquiorra watched his retreating figure as his eyes slightly narrowed, never had he felt like destroying someone more.

However, his irritation with the captive woman far outweighed any and all frustration with Grimmjow.

Though, the one thing that disturbed him more than even that were the actions of his own feelings and thoughts.

What could he really do if he no longer had any control over himself?

He continued to walk as his confliction commenced and magnified as time ticked on. Only a few more hours and he would be forced to endure that woman once more…

* * *

><p>It felt as if no time at all had passed and when Ulquiorra arrived again, Inoue was immediately brought back into the world of reality.<p>

She lifted her gaze to see that he was staring down at her before withdrawing her attention altogether and rising from her position.

After standing, she made her way over to the cart, intent on finishing her meal without having to speak with him.

However, as she moved to cross the area rug that separated them, her foot caught on the corner and she felt herself quickly falling forward, the heat of embarrassment rising to her cheeks in anticipation of meeting the ground.

However, she instead found herself grasping the sleeve of the Espada, whom had moved to steady her.

A lingering flush graced her cheeks from the prospect of tripping as she simply gazed down at the ground behind him.

He had caught her on a single arm, but remained motionless otherwise.

Inoue straightened and released her hold quickly, "sorry."

She then made her way past him and eagerly accepted her dinner so as to focus on something else.

However, upon her second bite, she set her utensil down and sighed. She really was not in the mood to eat.

"Finished already?" Ulquiorra called out without turning to face her.

Inoue lifted her gaze and then muttered an affirmative reply.

The Espada turned and then walked past her to the door, "I will send someone for the cart," he stepped into the hall, "until tomorrow."

He neither paused nor even sent a glance her way as he disappeared into the hall.

Inoue sighed as he once again left her. She sat back against her chair and placed a hand over her forehead.

She needed to focus on something else, anything.

Rising, she lifted her fingers over the light before creating Ulquiorra's image within the shadow. She smiled sadly and then removed her hands, making her way over to the couch instead.

Sleep was the only thing she could really do….

* * *

><p>The days continued to pass in much the same way, in which Inoue and Ulquiorra's interactions were limited to his three short visits. He no longer stayed past the duration of her meal and only ever spoke if he was informing her of something.<p>

Inoue began to feel the same loneliness she had experienced when she had first arrived in Hueco Mundo and she also began to discover that it wasn't simply due to the fact that there was no one around to talk to but more the realization that she actually missed having Ulquiorra around.

Sitting on the couch one evening after her meal, the realization grew and grew until she could literally feel it overpowering her.

She missed the Espada who had captured her and stolen her future, the one who had threatened to kill her friends if she were to refuse him.

He was different though, and she could hardly blame him for behaving in the only way he knew. The mere fact that he hadn't in fact laid a hand on her friends or harmed her in the slightest allowed her heart to more readily open up to him.

She then suddenly recalled what she had thought as she kissed him, and that she had in that instant admitted to herself that she actually cared about him.

That hadn't been a lie, despite being caught in the moment, the true nature of her realization had been a sudden enlightenment into her actual feelings toward the Espada.

She wondered what he had thought of the whole ordeal and instantly regretted having not helped him understand what had taken place. She knew that the entire situation was something completely foreign to him and she felt guilty for allowing that confusion to plague him.

And what of Ichigo then?

Inoue thought of the man whom had always so completely captured her heart and wondered why it suddenly felt as if she were being forced to choose between he and the Espada. She had room in her soul for both but…

She never found out if Ichigo reciprocated her feelings toward him and she was quite certain that Ulquiorra didn't feel anything like that for her either, if he even had the ability to.

She also had to wonder if she would ever even see Ichigo again, though the very thought saddened her immensely.

Her future now belonged to Hueco Mundo and she almost felt as if it were time to leave her past behind.

Her life was not going to last very much longer as it was…

So what did she actually think of Ulquiorra then?

He certainly intrigued her in a way no one ever had before, and made her feel challenged while also giving her cause to strengthen her own beliefs. She more than anything longed for him to one day see things as she did, and that desire had not diminished whatsoever.

Comparing him and Ichigo was like trying to decide between day and night, so different that it was impossible to choose one over the other.

She supposed, however, that she was prepared to finally make a decision concerning the Espada. Whether to allow the uncomfortable dissention to remain, or to pursue the shadowed path that had been created upon the very first moment she had considered the possibility that he was someone she wanted to understand.

Looking to the door, she wished he would enter and stay as he used to, but…she knew that was a false hope. She wasn't going to see him again until the next day.

Lying on her side, Inoue found that sleep was evading her as her mind was far too filled with thoughts and accompanying emotions.

Tracing abstract patterns with a finger upon the fabric of the couch, Inoue contented herself with just laying within the silence.

Perhaps Ulquiorra no longer wanted anything to do with her, though...she wondered if that had always been the case.

Closing her eyes she recalled the way he had responded to her kiss and that in itself seemed to convey that he at least thought her a cut above the _'filth'_ he regarded all humans to be.

Or perhaps that had just been a response based entirely upon instinct, he _was_ after all a creature who thrived primarily on that sort of thing.

It didn't matter though, for tomorrow she would try and speak with him, and hopefully come to some sort of impasse at least.


	11. Depicting Paradise

Chapter XI

Depicting Paradise

_Love sought is good, but given unsought is better._

_-William Shakespeare_

* * *

><p>Inoue woke early the following day and anxiously awaited Ulquiorra's arrival. She felt as if every moment was an eternity and she began to tap a foot as she sat upon the sofa. Then, finally, there came the expected sound of the door opening and Inoue stood immediately as she awaited the presence of the fourth Espada.<p>

He entered as always, behind the lower ranked Arrancar, who left as soon as he had placed the cart in the room. Looking to her, Ulquiorra paused midstep as if sensing her sudden resolve.

Walking towards him, Inoue tentatively gazed into his eyes, and for the first time in several days she really looked at him. It didn't appear as if he was harboring any sort of disdain towards her but she could hardly feel entirely certain. His face was as unreadable as always.

Offering an uneasy smile, Inoue brought a hand to her head, words escaping her entirely.

Ulquiorra regarded her unreceptively, "what is it you want from me?"

Inoue's smile faded and she lowered her hand. She could feel her heart pounding in her chest as she struggled to find the words that needed to be said.

"I…" she focused on gathering her thoughts, "I just wanted to say that I've missed having Ulquiorra around and that I'm sorry for not explaining myself the other day."

He was silent before closing his eyes and then looking to the wall behind her, "I don't need you to explain anything."

Inoue cast her eyes to the floor, "I know but I just suddenly felt like I owed you some sort of explanation."

Ulquiorra looked down to her then, despite himself. "Why would you seek my presence? I'm nothing to you but the person who took away everything that once made you happy."

"That isn't true," she said suddenly, tightening her hands into fists at her sides, "that isn't true at all."

Gaze widening, he looked to her again, and saw that her eyes were brimming with unshed tears.

Inoue, however, refused to let them fall. "I am still happy, you've made me happy."

"That's nonsen-" Ulquiorra began.

"It's not!" Inoue exclaimed before looking up to him, "it's not, that's how I really feel. You aren't just a hollow to me at all, you're someone I want to understand, someone I even want to care for."

His expression bordered upon the incredulous, and he turned his head away. "You are nothing but a ridiculous woman; you don't even know what you're saying."

Inoue brought her hand over her face then, and simply stood there in silence. He didn't understand…

He turned his back to her and continued, "I told you before that I would not hesitate to kill you if Aizen ordered me to," he cast her a sidelong glance, "that hasn't changed at all."

Realizing that her words were not reaching him, Inoue lowered her head before turning and walking over to the couch, where she simply stared down at the piece of furniture blindly. "You also told me that you have no desire to do that."

As he looked back at her, eyes widened slightly, she lifted her gaze to his and said nothing.

After regarding her a moment, he abruptly turned and walked to the door, not pausing as he opened it, "I will have the Arrancar come back later for the cart."

He then left and Inoue closed her eyes and looked away. That hadn't gone at all as she had hoped, though she could hardly say she had expected anything less.

Sitting then, she gazed down at the floor in silence. She admitted that she probably _was _nothing but a ridiculous girl, but that did nothing to diminish the truth of her words to the Espada. She wanted to understand him, wanted to show him that it was indeed possible to regain one's heart. She had seen the proof with her own eyes, had seen the complete power one's soul bond had when connected with someone else.

Clasping her hands together and holding them to her heart, she felt it beating gently beneath her touch.

Smiling, she recalled all the moments she had shared with Ulquiorra and, though she would never get to experience anything like that with him again, she was happy to have those memories.

Perhaps it was better without him in her life; it would only complicate things on an immeasurable level. He was far wiser than she could ever hope to be. He saw things in a mature way, while her own view of the world was jaded by hopeless fantasies and an inner wish that everyone in the universe could be happy.

What a fool she was for wishing something so completely foolish. As long as there were people such as Aizen around, there would always be sadness.

The Arrancar returned with her next meal sometime later, but Ulquiorra did not accompany him. Inoue smiled to the creature who always so dutifully fulfilled his tasks. "Thank you," she called out softly as he left, though made no move to rise from her spot on the sofa.

Lying down on her side then, arms folded comfortably beneath her head, she gazed at the play of light upon the wall. She imagined that she were somewhere else entirely, within a world all her own. Within that world she was surrounded by everyone she cared about. A world filled with light and warmth and happiness.

Her brother was there and she imagined herself running into his embrace, her long hair flowing behind her upon the wings of the dancing wind. His strong arms surrounding her, she would feel at once safe and secure. Nothing would harm her.

Ichigo and the others were all there, with all the Captains of Soul Society, and they were all laughing and having fun. Toshiro-kun and Rangiku-san would bicker as they always did, and Renji-kun and Ichigo would challenge one another to see who was strongest while Ishida looked on with feigned annoyance.

Rukia and her brother would regard everyone in silent amusement and Chad would watch without expression. Kon of course would be there too, chasing after herself and Rukia-chan with a pitiful expression on his face.

Inoue's heart swelled as she pictured the scene and a tear slipped down her cheek at the mere emotional attachment. It was the way she imagined heaven to be, and hoped with all her heart that she would one day experience such a scenario.

But what of Ulquiorra? Where was his place in such a world?

He would stand in such stark contrast with the rest of the scene, a shadow cast by the light that was everyone else. Heart aching as she found she could not place him anywhere, she then disregarded such a thought that the scene could possibly depict heaven. For in heaven, there would be a place for everyone, including Ulquiorra.

If the scene depicted her heart then she would make room for him no matter what. He would stand beside her, a peaceful expression upon his immovable face and a faint smile upon his lips. He would at last feel warmth and see what happiness had the potential to be. She longed for him to feel that way, longed for it with a startling intensity.

They would walk through the fields together and she would hold his hand. Then, with him completing the picture, it would truly depict paradise and she would really be surrounded by everyone she loved most.

For what was light without shadow to contrast?

Turning onto her back, she allowed her hands to rest over her stomach easily as her hair fanned out around her. She continued to lose herself within the realm of her heart, and clarity finally reeled its head within her contemplations. Deeper and deeper she fell within such a perfect alternate reality. Closing her eyes, she lost focus of all else, her senses giving away to something more surreal and lovely.

Time slipped by and Inoue was unaware of the Arrancar as he came and went with yet another meal she would not touch. The clock ticked on and she continued to fall further into the beautiful escape that brought with it more contentment than she had felt in a long time.

"Ulquiorra," she whispered, his name flowing off her tongue like the cascading breath of a winter's chill. It surrounded her, embraced her and made her feel as if she were someone completely different.

She felt as if she had been thrust into the vast and powerful ocean, its claw-like waves throwing her into every possible direction as she sank further beneath its depths and further apart from the shore that glowed only dimly within her enraptured gaze.

Altogether mesmerized, enchanted and en

thralled, Inoue felt her reason being left far behind, leaving her emotions to do as they willed. It was in such a moment that she felt the most connected with her heart and she could hear every single beat resound throughout her body in fascinating unison with her soul.

Still caught within her euphoria, Inoue opened her eyes and was met with the emerald gaze of the Espada, who was staring down at her silently. Motionless beneath his gaze, she watched as he approached the couch from behind her, his expression anything but absent. He sat beside where her head rested and then began to lean down towards her, her lips parting slightly in response.

He lifted a hand through the strands of her hair, and then closed his eyes as he neared. Inoue did not move, simply watched his motions in silence. Then as his closed lips hovered above hers, she lifted a hand behind his head and glided her fingers over his dark tresses. They remained stilled beneath one another's touch, as they turned themselves over to the mercy of the other.

Their lips met simultaneously, in silent resignation.

It was deeper and more cultured than their last, and Inoue finally released herself to the significance of the mutual gesture. It lasted but a moment and as the Espada lifted his hold, he opened his eyes and gazed into hers as she looked to him. He made no move to speak, and Inoue felt a small smile make its way to her face as she allowed herself to fall further within his eyes….

_'But this is a dream' _her subconscious acknowledged and her heart ached in response as she inhaled deeply and began to stir.

…

Captivating….that was what she had become to the Espada as he felt everything he had so desperately fought to hold onto slip through his fingers as if merely ash exposed to the strong and powerful force of the ever enticing wind. He watched her silently from the corner of the dark room as she slumbered, a small smile on her face and a slightly anxious crease forming between her brows. Was she having a nightmare?

All Ulquiorra could think of was the way she had voiced his name mere moments ago, the way it had filled him and altogether denied him the distance he had resolved to keep. He wanted to step towards her and he wanted to disregard the personal warning he had formed against himself. He remembered again how it had felt when she had inexplicably brought her lips to his. What did it mean? He had never experienced anything like that before. He didn't understand it, any of it. Even in such a moment, as his eyes lingered upon her, he had absolutely no comprehension of his own actions.

Then, she opened her eyes and she saw him. He watched as a look of uncertainty claimed her violet hues before it was replaced with recognition. Tightening a hand within his pocket, he deliberated a moment before taking a step forward. He felt suddenly guided by something far grander than he had any control over, something intangible. Something that_ she_ could perhaps explain.

And he wanted to mirror what she had done the other day. He decided that there was at least one thing he understood about the gesture. It was somehow…intimate. In reenacting it, it would mean that he had somehow…claimed her. And he wanted to claim her. He wanted to claim the strange creature who he presently acknowledged as something he wanted to hold onto. He wanted to unravel her mind and discover what it was exactly that made her appear so compelling.

She lifted herself from her position and sat on the couch with a widened gaze and he stopped and simply stared down at her with a face void of expression. Then he eased himself down beside her and continued to keep his eyes locked on her, surveying her disposition for any hesitance. In the back of his mind, he attempted to convince himself to turn away and leave her presence. However, a much greater portion of his thoughts understood that he would not be satisfied until he could completely comprehend the woman before him.

He somewhat awkwardly leaned forward and returned the strange motion she had conveyed to him before. He brought his lips to hers and held his ground as he yielded to the more compliant and appealing side of his mind.

Inoue closed her eyes and allowed his kiss to fill her, the perplexity replaced with acceptance.

This time...it wasn't dream at all. It was complete and wonderful reality.


	12. Greatest Endeavor

Chapter XII

Greatest Endeavor

"_Let us, instead of gazing idly into the obscure distance, look calmly around us, for a little, on the perplexed scene where we stand."_

_-Thomas Carlyle_

* * *

><p>Ulquiorra remained with her, as he sat comfortably at her side. Neither had yet said a word, simply reveled within the contented silence. Inoue closed her eyes and felt nothing but the enraptured feeling of absolute ease.<p>

The sound of the wind howling beyond the window could be heard resounding throughout the room, and the pale light of the moon had lengthened as the night deepened. Inoue felt her mind drifting to sleep and she found herself trying to remember when the last time was in which she felt so entirely absent of loneliness.

"Woman," Ulquiorra then softly called to her.

Opening her eyes, Inoue turned her head to look at him.

The Espada regarded her wordlessly a moment before continuing, "I'm still…somewhat confused."

He then shifted towards her and gazed down at her silently before lifting a hand and placing it over her heart. He closed his eyes as he felt her steady beats beneath his palm, all in a serenading rhythm that called to him in a way that nothing had before.

"You have a heart," he stated before opening his eyes, "you have a human heart that feels things." His gaze subtly intensified, "I don't have that."

Inoue's mouth parted slightly before she suddenly smiled gently and placed a hand over his. "You do too, Ulquiorra-kun."

His eyes widened only slightly, "what have I told you about-"

Inoue shook her head, still smiling, "I want to call you that. I want to call you that because you are someone I care about."

"Why?" Was his only answer, "I find that I still don't understand you at all." He sighed, "Someone like me who is so entirely separate from you."

"I don't think so," she replied, "I don't think we are so very separate at all."

He looked to her and seemed to disregard the initial impulse to counter her response. "Are all humans like you?"

"Huh?" She responded, inclining her head curiously.

"Are they all like you or…" He trailed off as he appeared to consider his next words, "are you the only one?"

Inoue blinked slowly, "well, I don't know. I haven't met everyone. I mean, I assume there's probably somebody else who's like me out there…although, we _are_ all pretty different."

"I see," Ulquiorra responded only.

All was silent until suddenly Inoue's stomach rumbled, breaking through the soundless atmosphere. Inoue flushed and covered her stomach with both hands, "Ah!" she exclaimed, "I'm sorry, Ulquiorra-kun, you see, I didn't really eat anything today." She then laughed and held a hand to her head, smiling awkwardly.

Ulquiorra said nothing, simply moved to rise and then paused before standing and turning to her. "Come with me."

"Huh?" She asked, rising from her position on the couch, "where?"

He placed his hands into his pockets as he looked to the door, as if weighing the idea over within his mind. "To the kitchen, I'll have one of the lower ranks prepare something for you."

Inoue waved her hands back and forth, "oh no, that's okay, I'll just eat what he brought in earlier."

Ulquiorra looked to her, "that's no good now. It's been sitting there for several hours at least."

Inoue sighed and lowered her hands. He had a point, and she certainly didn't like the idea of catching food poisoning and getting sick. Her last experience with that had been dreadful.

"But, what if…someone sees?"

Ulquiorra seemed to understand what she meant and stepped towards her, his mere and returned proximity resulting in a compulsory smile from her.

"If someone sees, then I will simply explain the situation."

"But-"

"Woman," Ulquiorra replied, "Don't fret over something like that. I will explain first, and if that does not convince whoever it might be then, I will simply assert my rank."

"Huh?" she replied, "you can do that?"

"To an extent," he replied before again turning to the door. "Now, follow me."

Inoue nodded and then silently walked behind him, following closely as they stepped into the hall. It was bright and Inoue had to allow her eyes to adjust a moment before continuing behind him. He moved fluidly and Inoue found her own gait quite clumsy in comparison.

After rounding a few corners and descending several flights of stairs, they finally arrived at an archway. Entering, they both turned to see that someone was occupying the small dining area.

Inoue looked to the blonde woman with widened eyes. She was very beautiful and her reiatsu was almost suffocating in its strength.

Looking to the pair, the woman nodded in greeting.

Ulquiorra stepped to other side of the table, "Halibel. What brings you so late?"

Halibel raised a perfectly arched brow, "I could ask you the same however, unlike you, I've never been the prying sort." She then leaned back against her seat and lifted the mug in her hand, "but there is no harm in saying that I am merely enjoying a cup of coffee."

She regarded the Espada in amusement a moment before allowing her gaze to drift to Inoue, "and she must be the little '_pet'_ of yours Grimmjow has told me all about."

Inoue looked down at her hands and Ulquiorra tensed only slightly.

Halibel suddenly chuckled, "oh don't be so uptight all the time, Ulquiorra. I'm only relaying what he said. I have no interest in your personal matters."

Ulquiorra stood there a moment before turning and walking over to the Arrancar in the adjoining room, leaving Inoue to herself.

Halibel watched him round the corner before allowing her eyes to settle on the other girl.

"So, how you holdin' up?"

Inoue looked to the Espada, her eyes wide, but then relaxed as she spotted nothing malicious upon her features.

"It's okay now," she replied softly.

"Oh?" Halibel responded, "_Now_, you say?"

Inoue nodded but did not elaborate. She saw Halibel simply smile to herself before suddenly rise and stretch her arms over her head.

"Well," she began, walking around the table and standing in front of Inoue as she crossed her arms, "from one woman to another, allow me to offer some friendly advice."

Inoue looked to Halibel and nodded slowly.

The other woman continued as she closed her eyes, "Be careful around here. Aizen has eyes everywhere and none of the Espada are, in any way true comrades to one another. The majority would not hesitate to stab another in the back, if they felt they could get by without reprimand."

Returning her gaze to Inoue she offered a small smile, "but you're safe as long as you stay with Ulquiorra. Among all the others, Stark excluded, he is the one I trust most. He is altogether without a trace of true malice. He does his job and that is all, he would never harm a single one of us unless Aizen ordered it."

Inoue nodded and then smiled tentatively in return.

"You're a very interesting person and I admit that I have a natural knack for looking out for those weaker than I," Halibel then stated, "I would say you could trust me as well but, I'm not like Ulquiorra. I don't have the same extent of discipline."

Saying nothing, Inoue regarded the woman thoughtfully. Within her cerulean gaze there seemed to be a hint of…sadness?

It appeared as if she viewed the world through a set of haunted eyes.

Was every hollow subject to a dark existence without hope of reprieve?

The thing that surprised Inoue most however, was that the Espada before her seemed to possess emotion, something which was primarily absent from the façade of her captor.

Ulquiorra returned then and stopped as he observed Inoue and Halibel.

"Don't get all protective over her," Halibel told him with a light chuckle, "she and I were just having a harmless chat."

Inoue looked to Ulquiorra and smiled in an attempt to ease his concern; he relaxed only slightly in response to her gesture.

Halibel cast a sidelong glance between the two, not missing the exchange. She once again smiled to herself before announcing that she was leaving.

Left to themselves, Inoue turned to Ulquiorra.

They gazed at one another a moment before the Espada motioned for her to sit, "your meal will be ready soon."

Inoue nodded and smiled in thanks before taking the seat in front of her. Ulquiorra sat in the one beside before absently staring down at the table, where Inoue's hands were folded together gently.

Inoue followed his gaze before raising her eyes to his face and flushing slightly.

Ulquiorra looked to her and seemed confused by her reaction. Inoue smiled uneasily at him before noticing with relief that the Arrancar was bringing in her food.

He set it down in front of her before lowering his head to Ulquiorra, resembling a bow.

The Espada dismissed him before returning his attention to Inoue.

Inoue grinned at the meal, it was an entirely different array of food than she had previously enjoyed. She recalled her earlier conversation with Ulquiorra about enjoying the variety of cuisine in her world. He had scoffed at her proclamation before but now…

"Thank you, Ulquiorra-kun."

The Espada said nothing simply continued to gaze at her. Inoue's grin widened before she suddenly and unexpectedly leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on his cheek.

Ulquiorra's eyes widened suddenly and as she pulled back to look up at him, the hue of her face was equivalent to the shade of her hair.

"Why do you do that?"

Inoue tilted her head, "huh?"

Ulquiorra's expression became more confused, "you look…red."

The scarlet flush deepening, Inoue smiled uneasily, "well, I…uh…It happens because I sometimes feel self-conscious."

"Self-conscious?"

Inoue laughed awkwardly and nodded, "y-yes. I felt self-conscious just then because I did something out of nowhere."

"I see," Ulquiorra replied, "then I suppose I can expect it not to happen to me."

"Of course," Inoue agreed, "Ulquiorra-kun is far too alert to suddenly do something without thinking."

Her stomach suddenly rumbled and Inoue's face flushed again before she quickly looked to her food.

Ulquiorra glanced to her a moment before motioning to her plate, "eat, woman."

Inoue lifted her fork and, after sending a swift glance to him, took a bite. She smiled, "it's good."

As silence ensued, Ulquiorra simply gazed across the room at the wall, occasionally sending a glance Inoue's way. She would always send him a brief smile in response.

There was absolute stillness within the atmosphere and Inoue again reflected upon the absence of music or anything resembling within the desolate world that was Hueco Mundo.

Swiftly sending a glance to Ulquiorra she wondered how he would react to music. Would he like it? Which genre would he prefer?

She smiled to herself and concluded that he would probably enjoy something orchestral, as his mind would appreciate the more complex, intricate styles of composition.

She continued to dwell on similar thoughts as her meal neared its close, her mouth simultaneously savoring the surprisingly delicious cuisine.

"All done!" The girl exclaimed proudly a few minutes later.

The Espada looked to her plate, "you've still got a bit left."

Inoue shook her head, "no, that's for you."

"Woman," Ulquiorra countered, "I told you before that I have no interest in sampling your food."

"Please just try it," Inoue pleaded suddenly, lifting her fork to his mouth.

Face passive, the Espada regarded her absently. "That's a pathetic attempt to convince me, if you think that I would respond to something like that then you obviously don't understand me in the slightest."

"Oh come on, Ulquiorra-kun," Inoue continued.

"No."

With a resigned sigh, Inoue lowered her fork and set it on the plate, "alright then, I suppose I am being a little silly." She looked to him and saw that he still wore an unreadable expression. "Oh please don't be angry with me."

"Angry? Why would I become angry over something like that?"

"Oh," Inoue paused a moment before continuing, "I suppose that would be a tad over the top, even for Ulquiorra-kun."

"What does that mean?"

"N-nothing!" Inoue replied with an uneasy laugh and wave of her hands.

Saying nothing as he regarded her mutely, Ulquiorra then closed his eyes and sighed before standing and looking down to her.

"Shall we head back?"

Inoue nodded and stood beside him, patiently waiting for him to take the lead.

They walked in silence and Inoue had to wonder if she _had _perhaps upset him, though she still could not read his expression well enough to discern the truth of her contemplations.

Several moments later, she found herself gazing up at him from within her cell as he stood in the hall, one hand on her door.

"Goodnight, woman."

Responding with a smile, Inoue nodded, "Goodnight, Ulquiorra-kun."

They stared at one another a moment before the Espada turned to go.

"Ulquiorra-kun…"

He turned back to her and saw that she was wringing her hands nervously.

Inoue looked to him and smiled awkwardly, "I was just going to say thank you again."

"I've told you before; you don't have any cause to thank me."

Inoue nodded, "yes, but I just like to say it anyway."

"Then…" Ulquiorra replied, looking to her in a strangely attentive way, "allow me to say once again that I have no understanding as to the nature of your mind, but also that," he took a step closer, "it has become one of my greatest endeavors to try and reach that understanding."

Inoue flushed at that, "U-Ulquiorra-kun."

"Have I made you self-conscious?"

"Eh!" Inoue exclaimed, eyes widening.

"Woman," Ulquiorra took another step towards her and simply stared down at her with an intensity the girl felt she would never grow accustomed to. "Is it unnatural for me to find enjoyment in making you feel like that?"

Inoue couldn't even respond as she simply gazed up at him, her lips parted and the crimson upon her cheeks darkening.

"I find it impossible to convey how very much you intrigue me," he continued.

"Ulquiorra-kun," she repeated again.

He then proceeded to mimic her gesture from earlier by placing his lips against her cheek determinedly. Inoue's eyes widened as he straightened to look at her.

"It would seem despite which role you assume, your reaction is the same."

Inoue shook her head stubbornly, "that's not fair; Ulquiorra-kun caught me off guard."

The Espada simply withdrew his gaze, "until tomorrow, woman."

He then turned to go, leaving a flustered Inoue within the confines of her room.


	13. Shimmer of Unshed Tears

Chapter XIII

Shimmer of Unshed Tears

"_Human desire is illimitable and without end. It makes you pursue the mirage in the desert; it makes you build castles in the air; it breeds discontent and despair, once you succumb to it."_

_-Sri Sathya Sai Baba_

* * *

><p>Inoue covered her eyes as she opened them the following morning, the moon being especially bright. Sitting slowly, the girl noticed absently that her body did not ache so badly as when she had spent her first nights on the sofa.<p>

It seemed she was becoming more accustomed to her present life with every passing day and she didn't know whether to feel happy or saddened by that fact.

How long had it actually been? She had no way of knowing precisely. All she knew with certainty was that she had been in Hueco Mundo longer than a month but less than a year, which was a rather wide margin.

Upon hearing Ulquiorra enter she looked to him and smiled in greeting before looking to her hands as he exchanged words with the other Arrancar that had entered with breakfast.

What exactly was she to the Espada? What exactly was going on between them? She had been trying not to think on it but since last night when Ulquiorra had behaved so strangely it jolted Inoue into confronting the situation.

They had kissed, they had laughed together, he had opened up to her. He didn't seem to hate her, and she concluded that she didn't hate him either. He was someone she cared for, someone important.

So then, what exactly was he? An acquaintance? A friend? Perhaps something more? Was he even someone she could place into a category like that?

Looking up to see that Ulquiorra was gazing down at her, Inoue forced another smile and stood from the couch before walking over to the table.

Sitting, she lifted a fork and bit into her food. She focused her eyes forward and resisted the urge to allow them to drift over to his.

She could feel his eyes upon her and it was all she could do to keep from allowing a flush upon her cheeks.

After her meal, she moved to rise but felt his hand grasp her wrist to stop her. Inoue looked away from him as she slowly returned to her seat.

Face turned, she closed her eyes and silently pleaded that he would just leave her be.

He released his hold on her wrist before moving to sit beside her. He then lifted his hand and brought it to the side of her face, coaxing her to look toward him.

Inoue's eyes remained closed as she responded to the prompt, her hand grasping at the sleeve of her dress.

A brief moment passed, in which neither moved and Inoue felt her thoughts slip from her mind like smoke.

When she finally opened her eyes to look at him, she found that she couldn't even force a smile.

"You are bothered again, woman." He observed.

Inoue allowed her eyes to fall before nodding slowly.

She reveled in the silence a moment before lifting her eyes to meet his again, "Ulquiorra-kun, I've been thinking about a lot of things."

She then turned her face away and stood, looking down to the floor and the moonlight upon.

"I don't know what's going on," she whispered, "I don't know what's going on at all."

She lifted a hand to her head, "I mean, what am I doing? You would kill my friends if you ever got the chance to, you wouldn't ever protect me from Aizen, I love Kurosaki-kun and-" She closed her eyes as her thoughts all collided together.

"-and, and I…" Inoue's voice broke as she brought one hand over her eyes.

She heard him stand, heard his footsteps approach, and felt the pressure of his reiatsu coursing all around her.

He looked to her form, outlined within the pale light that surrounded her. She seemed…upset. Within the back of his mind, something about the way she had said Kurosaki's name bothered him, though he didn't know why that was.

All he could focus on was how she glowed and glimmered, standing before him so immaculately that he briefly wondered if she was indeed nothing more than a mirage, a figment sent to haunt his hollowed spirit.

"Woman…" Ulquiorra began before lifting a hand to her shoulder, "look at me."

His hand made contact and she continued to reside firmly beneath his touch, her body enduring within the realm of reality.

She was always just 'woman' to him, Inoue reflected. Did he even have the capability to think of her as anything more?

Lowering her hand from her face, she remained briefly motionless before slowly turning to face him and opening her eyes to reveal the shimmer of unshed tears.

He gazed upon her intently, seeming to focus on the way her eyes were gleaming within the moonlight that shone all about her.

He lifted his hand from her shoulder and, after seeming to hesitate, placed it against her cheek.

Inoue breathlessly watched him, not knowing what to say. She had many things that she desperately wanted to convey though had not the slightest idea how to begin.

"You…are you afraid of me?" he asked.

Inoue slowly shook her head.

"How about hate? Do you hate me yet? Do you hate me for my loyalty to Aizen? For the realization that I would do anything he asked?"

Silence fell between them in which Inoue searched for the appropriate answer. She furrowed her brows as she looked to her heart and, within a breath of clarity, remembered the image of them two walking through the warm and sunny field, hand in hand.

"No," she responded, "I still don't hate you."

"Then," he continued, "What is it that you feel?"

Inoue held his gaze, the immediate answer failing to present itself. She had not even concluded what exactly he was to her. She knew the emotions she felt, though there was nothing in which to categorize them.

"You," she began, "You aren't anything I can name. I feel pity, worry, happiness and sadness…" She lowered her eyes, "I feel confusion, anger, warmth… loss, emptiness, and…and…mostly…" she felt a single tear trail down her face, "a connection."

"You feel…all of these things?"

Inoue nodded, "yes, all of them."

Ulquiorra's gaze seemed to grow more attentive and she nervously awaited a reply.

"You are foolish," he finally stated, "you are foolish for feeling any of that."

"I know that already," Inoue stated, "I know all of that and yet…I don't know what to think."

He lowered his hand from her face, "you are ruled by your emotions so completely that your thoughts have the inability to discern your feelings."

Inoue suddenly clenched a fist, "then I'm glad. I'm glad that I have those feelings and that they overpower my thoughts. I would rather that be the case then to see things the way you do. Your thoughts are so controlled that you don't feel anything at all."

That wasn't true, he knew, for he felt a great many insurmountable and conflicting feelings throughout his entire being. They were all recent and they were all at the prompting of the woman before him.

She felt her eyes stinging as her frustration gave birth to a new swell of tears, "I am happy to be me, exactly the way I am. I never want to change; I want my emotions to stay strong forever."

His eyes had widened at her declaration and he observed her expression as it seemed to suddenly change from one of complete desperation to one of commendable vigor.

"I don't understand it," he finally stated. "I don't understand the way you think or feel."

He placed a hand over the hole in his chest, "I am without the ability to relate, as I have lost all that had once defined me as human."

Inoue lowered her gaze, and her heart sank.

"However," he then began, the edges of his tone softening just slightly. "I find that I would never wish my burden upon anyone else, least of all…"

Inoue looked to him then, her eyes widening as they met his.

"Ul-quiorra…kun…"

"I want you to stay exactly as you are with," he inclined his head slightly, "perhaps more intellectual control over your erratic feelings."

Inoue's mouth parted and she found she could say nothing.

"Woman," he then voiced, the sound resonating throughout her as she found that the way in which he addressed her was far less demeaning than she had earlier perceived.

"I don't understand what any of this means," he continued, "I just know that I no longer want to be without it."

Silence fell between the pair at his declaration and he continuously watched her as if still skeptical that she would not simply disappear within the ensuing seconds.

Inoue smiled then before stepping forward, slowly wrapping her arms around his neck and leaning forward to embrace him.

He felt warm and she closed her eyes as her smile widened. Despite all of her doubts and anxiety it somehow felt as if she belonged nowhere else.

Ulquiorra's eyes had widened at her motion before he slowly brought his arms around her waist, his hold tentative and uncertain.

They stood for a countless duration of time beneath the light of the moon, neither knowing what next to say. Her hair cascading over his hands, The Espada allowed his fingers to entwine through her strands.

Ulquiorra's senses instantly heightened at her proximity and he felt a very unfamiliar comfort within the encirclement of her arms.

Her scent was…enticing, and he was filled with all the new and unprecedented feelings it curiously instilled.

His hands felt the smooth and inviting texture of her strands of red, which carried within them her unique and invigorating fragrance.

He felt her heart, pounding away within her fragile chest, allowing the blood to flow through the veins beneath her skin and enabling her to continue the breaths that held together her life.

As she released her hold, he took a step back as she looked to him with a lingering smile.

The look in her eyes was every bit as tantalizing as her touch, aroma and heart…

He turned then and walked over to the couch where he sat and rested his head against one hand. The other, after a long moment, he lifted to Inoue in a motion for her to join him.

She nodded and sat beside him, feeling the exhaustion of all her emotions wafting over her.

What was she doing? The answer continued to elude her. However, after embracing him a moment ago and feeling the return of his arms around her, there came the realization that she no longer wanted to be without whatever was going on between them either.

She tried not to allow that realization to frighten her as she subsequently suppressed all lingering doubts concerning Ichigo and her feelings for him.

Eyes looking to the Espada's profiled face, she concluded to herself that Ulquiorra was someone that made her feel happy, despite the fact that he would never care for her the way someone like Ichigo could.

Inoue then casually allowed her gaze to lower and dwell upon his pale hand, which rested upon the cushion of the sofa.

She fidgeted with her fingers as she debated whether or not to reach out to him.

Then deciding that he probably wouldn't pull away, Inoue gingerly lifted a hand and placed it over his.

He looked to her briefly and she looked to him with a bright, compulsory smile.

Not smiling but seeming to soften his expression, Ulquiorra repositioned his hand over hers, their fingers interlocking.

Inoue then felt a strange, but strongly compelling desire to ask him something.

"Ulquiorra-kun…" she began softly, "have you ever been in the rain?"

"The rain?"

"Mm," she nodded.

A swift, silent prelude ensued before he responded almost fondly, "…once, a long time ago."

Her eyes lowering, Inoue couldn't quite understand why he had responded in such a way, though felt asking him would prompt a chastisement over her prying.

She decided against bothering him for an answer and slowly allowed her head to rest against his shoulder, "goodnight, Ulquiorra-kun."

"Tired again, woman?" he asked with a slight tone of amusement.

Inoue did not respond, merely nodded faintly.

"Goodnight then…" he replied as she faded into her dreams.

This was her life now, and though it was one that would inevitably end in a short time, she found that it would be as well spent as any.

Her last, completely spontaneous speculation consisted of asking herself the question: why had she so easily been able to kiss Ulquiorra in the beginning and not Kurosaki? What did that mean, if anything at all?


	14. Assembly and Misery

Chapter XIV

Assembly and Misery

_"Here too it's masquerade, I find: As everywhere, the dance of mind. I grasped a lovely masked procession, And caught things from a horror show… I'd gladly settle for a false impression, If it would last a little longer, though."_

_-Johann Wolfgang von Goethe_

* * *

><p>Several hours later, Inoue woke to find that she was sitting upon the couch and that her head was still resting against Ulquiorra's shoulder. His head, she suddenly realized was resting comfortably against her own.<p>

Lifting her eyes, she saw that his were closed and that he was breathing easily. Observing his face silently, she felt herself becoming enticed by his soft expression. He never looked so untroubled when he was awake.

"Ulquiorra-kun," she whispered then, smiling as his eyes slowly opened to greet hers.

For an instant, his lighthearted expression remained, before she observed the subtle change of his features into those ruled by his ever-calculating thoughts.

They wordlessly gazed at one another for a moment before Ulquiorra looked to her hand, which was still held within his. He lifted it and held on for another breath before releasing her. He then straightened and leaned forward as Inoue watched him mutely.

Looking back to her, he tilted his head slightly. "How was your sleep?"

Inoue mimicked his movements and sat forward, "Wonderful, though I was surprised to find that Ulquiorra-kun was still here."

The Espada looked away, "I shouldn't have stayed, that was probably foolish on my part."

"Eh?" Inoue responded, "n-no, I mean, I was surprised but, I was happy to find that you hadn't left." She blushed, "I mean, er, I liked knowing you stayed."

He returned his gaze to her, "someone might have come; I let down my guard and fell asleep. I won't let it happen again."

Inoue sighed and glanced down at her hands, remembering how it had felt to have him hold her. She enjoyed his proximity, and dreaded the inevitable moment in which he would become absent from her.

"What is it, woman?"

Inoue looked up to see that he was observing her. She blushed and lifted a hand to her head, "eh, nothing, I was just…thinking about how I'm-" her blush deepened, "I was just thinking about how I'm going to miss Ulquiorra when he leaves."

His eyes briefly widened before he regained composure. "Don't miss me, there's no need. Besides, you always know when to expect my return."

Inoue nodded, "yes, Ulquiorra-kun is always right on schedule."

He looked to her with an almost condescending gleam before a sudden knock sent both of their glances to the door.

Ulquiorra stood and Inoue follow suit, her attention completely focused upon who might reside beyond the room.

"Enter," The Espada declared.

As the individual entered, both of their eyes widened.

"Hallibel-san," Inoue responded, "What are you-?"

Ulquiorra looked to the woman silently a moment before closing his eyes, "why have you come?"

"Aizen-sama wishes to speak with us," she answered before pausing and looking to the girl behind him, "her too."

Eyes opening instantly, Ulquiorra said nothing as he gazed at her, his absent expression betraying whatever thoughts circulated in regards to her response.

Inoue's heart plummeted as Hallibel's words reached her ears. Was it time to restore the Hougyoku? She then lifted her eyes to look upon Ulquiorra. Or was it that...Aizen had figured out what was going on between she and his fourth Espada?

As Hallibel left the room, Inoue clutched Ulquiorra's sleeve nervously. He cast his eyes down at her and they silently held their gaze before he finally turned his attention to the door. "Let's go."

Inoue followed close behind him, heart pounding and her breathing heavy. She felt herself internally trembling and her thoughts were indiscernible in their anxiety.

"Woman," Ulquiorra suddenly stopped and turned to look at her, "you have to control yourself. This is not your first encounter with Aizen. You've always been able to confront him with composure."

"It's not that…" Inoue replied, "I am just uneasy to find out why he has suddenly called upon me. The only thing I can think of is that…is that…" She clutched her hands together, "the hougyoku is ready, or that…" She looked to the Espada, "he's found out about…"

Ulquiorra closed his eyes, "Aizen is not the sort to fret over such a trivial matter. I am his subordinate and as long as I fulfill his orders he has no interest in anything else I do."

Inoue tried to push aside her anxiety but still found that her fears were not satiated. "Then, what of the hougyoku?"

Ulquiorra shrugged before turning and continuing to walk. "I doubt it's already finished."

Following behind, Inoue began to try and discern another answer for Aizen's sudden request but found that aside from her two theories there really wasn't a reason he would want an audience with her.

She looked to Ulquiorra and hoped with all her heart that he was right.

As they entered the throne room, they were met with the eyes of all the other Espada and Vastro Lorde; it was Inoue's first time seeing them all gathered together.

"Welcome, Ulquiorra and…" Aizen's eyes glowered down at Inoue, "Orihime."

Ulquiorra bowed and Inoue simply looked to Aizen through a set of eyes that quivered beneath his piercing gaze.

He motioned for the pair to take their position among the others and Ulquiorra immediately complied, moving to stand beside Yammy.

Inoue moved to join him but was halted by Aizen, "Orihime, would you please stand here, beside me?"

Inoue's eyes widened and, after sending the swiftest of glances to Ulquiorra, slowly made her way to Aizen, whom was staring at her with a look of immense amusement.

Nnoitra and several others whom she couldn't name were sending glares her way and murmuring amongst themselves. What she gathered from the whispers was that they found it extremely outrageous that Aizen should order her to stand at his side, an honor never bestowed upon any of them.

"Silence," Aizen ordered as Inoue joined him, "I do not remember asking the opinion of any of you."

Nnoitra clenched his fist and Inoue observed that two girls in particular were sending her the most murderous glares.

"Orihime," Aizen suddenly addressed her quietly, "are you well adjusted to your life here?"

Inoue looked to him with eyes widened before she slowly nodded, "yes, Aizen-sama."

He observed her quietly a moment and watched as she looked away, her eyes settling on something below.

Following her gaze he smirked to himself, "and Ulquiorra? Has he been treating you well?"

Inoue slowly looked to him, not missing the malicious gleam beneath his gaze.

She said nothing but felt her face morph from anxiety to one akin to resentment.

Aizen's smirk spread, "he's an interesting character isn't he?"

Continuing to ignore the impulse of responding to his jabs, Inoue remained composed and defiantly stared into the eyes of the man who betrayed all of Soul Society.

Aizen held her glare an instant longer before averting his gaze to the assembly gathered below. "My dear subordinates, I have some exciting news to share."

He grinned and leaned a head against his hand, which had been leisurely resting against the arm of his throne. "Things are beginning to set in motion; we are but a month away from our ultimate goal. I would encourage all of you to continue to hone and perfect your already vast and commendable abilities. I am, as always, proud of your efforts. The time is nearing in which you will all be permitted your moments of absolutely glory. You will all attain everything you've ever desired."

As he continued in much the same way, Inoue clenched her fist and glared at the man. She knew that everything he was saying was a mere enforcement of his ultimate sovereignty.

He was manipulating everyone, even now.

He was the most despicable person she had ever seen and found that he was the one and only individual upon whom she wished every possible misfortune.

The speech continuing, Inoue allowed her glance to briefly drift to Ulquiorra, whom was staring straight ahead, his expression set in an unreadable façade.

"Finally," Aizen concluded standing and smiling down at everyone, "in the very near future I will be assigning roles to each of you concerning your positions in the final battle. I expect nothing but the highest from all of you and promise a world in which we shall all belong and rule. "

He then turned to go, casting a glance to Inoue.

The girl looked to him, her glare still set and her hand clenched into a fist.

"You don't seem inspired by my words, woman. Is it perhaps that I've said too much?" He then smirked, "your roll in all of this may in fact prove to be the most important."

With that he departed from the room, trailed by the two captains who had followed him into the realm of the hollow.

Inoue watched them go before looking down to the others, whose eyes had drifted to her, no doubt curious as to what Aizen had just told her.

Swallowing, Inoue made her way down the steps and then walked down the path created by the two sides of gathered individuals.

"Just who do ya think ya are, girl?"

Inoue looked to a black-haired girl, short in stature and flanked by a taller girl with shorter and lighter tresses.

The girl spat and shook her head, "It makes me sick, this whole thing. If I had my way, I'd kill you right here and now."

Nnoitra laughed, "now, now Lollie, you don't wanna go doin' that. Poor Ulquiorra over there wouldn't know what to do with himself if you took away his favorite little pet."

Lollie laughed, "Ha! As if she means jack to anyone here! As soon as all of this is over, she's gonna be the first one I go after!"

Inoue looked to the girl, her eyes widened at the level of animosity emitting from her reiatsu.

"Enough."

Inoue turned to see that Hallibel had stepped forward.

Hallibel looked to her briefly before returning her attention to Lollie, "she is Aizen's and as such cannot be harmed, or threatened for that matter. Know your place and dispel your taunts immediately."

Lollie looked to the woman with a glare of absolute loathing before suddenly turning her head and crossing her arms.

"Ulquiorra," Hallibel continued, "I suggest you take this girl back to her room before she endures anymore jabs from these low lives."

Ulquiorra finally stepped out of line and made his way over to Inoue, whom was looking at Hallibel with a glance that resembled the one she would give him whenever she found herself grateful for something he'd said or done.

"Oy, Hallibel!" Nnoitra suddenly called out, "who ya callin'a lowlife?"

The female Espada closed her eyes, "obviously everyone on that side of the room."

"Hey!" Nnoitra and Grimmjow responded at the same time.

The former glared at the other Espada before continuing, "would you like me to take you on?"

"You would lose," came Hallibel's immediate reply.

"Ha!" Nnoitra chuckled, "just because your ranked three doesn't mean you'll win. Those numbers don't mean shit anyway!"

"Oh? She replied, "You're just resentful that you were placed fifth."

Ulquiorra reached Inoue then as Nnoitra continued to try and provoke Hallibel.

"Shall we go?"

Inoue nodded before sending a nervous glance to Hallibel.

"Don't worry about her," Ulquiorra responded upon seeing the subject of her glance, "she is even stronger than I am."

He then turned and walked towards the flight of stairs that led to the level below.

Inoue followed, her eyes sweeping along the other members of the Espada. One man in particular caught her interest. He was tall and broad, with brown, shaggy hair and piercing blue eyes. It was his eyes more than anything that grabbed her notice. They were almost…gentle in some way. Looking to his left, she saw a small child, arms crossed and gazing at the commotion on the other side of the room with mild interest.

The man sent her a brief glance before closing his eyes and announcing to the child that he was going back to bed. The latter seemed to complain about his declaration before following him out of the room.

Inoue couldn't help the feeling that they seemed almost like siblings. She smiled as she thought of the times she had spent with her own brother. He was the one who made her more furious than she ever imagined possible and yet was the one person whom she most admired. Until Ichigo at least…

As the pair reached Inoue's room, Ulquiorra opened the door and stepped aside for her to enter. Orihime obliged and walked past him into the dark interior that awaited.

Ulquiorra followed and closed the door behind him. He placed his hands into his pockets and silently stared at Inoue's form, her back facing him as she stared out the window and up at the moon.

Inoue had been able to look past the reality of the battle at hand but, after meeting with Aizen, it had all settled back in. She wondered if that had been his true endeavor when calling upon her. The man always found the most amusement in unsettling others.

The looks most of the other Espada gave her were ones of pure and immense disdain and she wondered why she had begun to think she would ever have a life to live amongst them. It seemed only Ulquiorra, Hallibel and Grimmjow were able to stand being around her. Everyone else looked at her as if she were nothing but prey on which they desired to feast.

Although, the blue eyed man didn't seem to look at her that way and, after recalling her first conversation with Hallibel, she wondered if he was the Stark person she had mentioned. She had said that she trusted him above anyone, even Ulquiorra.

Clutching her hands together, Inoue closed her eyes and fought the urge to scream out in desolation. Her shoulders hunched and her expression overcome with anxiety, Inoue pictured the onslaught that would be brought to all of her friends, everyone she had ever known.

She had felt the immense reiatsu radiating in that room and the power that far outweighed anything else she had been near.

She had only one option; she had to destroy the hougyoku before any of that happened but…she lowered her head as she reflected that the only way she could ever get near it would be to deceive…Ulquiorra.

The very idea at once instilled within her a very sad feeling. If she were to use him in that way, he would surely never forgive her and she would subsequently never be able to forgive herself.

However, if she asked for his help he would almost certainly reply in the negative and perhaps even report her plot to Aizen, thus destroying any chances she had at saving everyone.

A tear then slipped down her cheek as she began to face what she might have to do; she would have to use Ulquiorra's emotions and turn all of his kindness against him.

Her heart sinking, Inoue tried to imagine doing such a thing and felt her resolve slip slightly. Yes, she wanted to save her friends but…what if she lost the one that had come to mean just as much as any one of them?

She just couldn't hurt Ulquiorra that way, it was never right to manipulate someone like that. Did a wrong action justify a right cause? She hardly knew but, in her heart she found that going through with the plan would mean destroying all hopes of Ulquiorra reaching the happiness she so longed for him to find.

More tears fell as she hopelessly shook her head, "I…can't…."

Then as she fell a bit further into her misery, she felt a pair of arms wrap around her torso from behind and the familiar warmth of the Espada began to radiate through her.

He rested his head against hers and Inoue allowed her eyes to drift down to where his arms encircled her.

Heart suddenly aching at what she had just a moment ago considered, Inoue placed her arms over his and held tightly as her tears continued to course down her face.

They stood in silence and Inoue gave herself over to all the emotions she had suppressed since entering the strange world. She wanted to save everyone and yet she was still too weak for not having the resolve to do what needed to be done.

However, deep in her heart she knew that her decision had not been weak at all.

'_I'm sorry, everyone…'_


	15. Bittersweet and Uplifting

Chapter XV

Bittersweet and Uplifting

"_For a day, just for one day, _

_Talk about that which disturbs no one _

_And bring some peace into your _

_Beautiful eyes." _

― _Hafez_

* * *

><p>Aizen had begun calling for audiences with his Espada more frequently and Inoue found that she was seeing far less of Ulquiorra as the month progressed. The lower ranked Arrancar often brought her food alone, without the direction of his superior.<p>

Inoue always thanked him with a small smile and he would always simply nod and rush from the room. Sighing, the girl turned to look out the window, the weight of solitude bearing down upon her soul.

Hugging herself, Inoue looked to the floor. It seemed as if all the time she had spent building her resolve and will had not been sufficient enough to protect her from the emptiness of being left alone.

The clock was ticking and Inoue could literally feel the pendulum's heavy swing back and forth…back and forth…back and forth…

Inoue closed her eyes and then began to sway as she thought once again of the music she so missed from her own world; She longed to hear one final sweet, harmonic note before everything she knew was destroyed.

Stretching out her arms, Inoue lifted her eyes to the window and then spun slowly across the rug, her bare feet feeling as light as the air that surrounded her.

Smiling, she found that it helped to release all of her emotions into something as expressive as dancing, even if she was bad at it.

Her hips swayed gently and she clutched her hands together over her heart as her feet continued to circle and carry her about the room.

In her mind she pictured one of her favorite tunes and allowed the rhythm to course through her veins as she honed all of her senses into feeling that single melody.

It was a bittersweet but uplifting song, one that always inspired her mind to soar and her feelings to surface and ascend.

She reenacted the dancing she had seen on the music video and remembered always practicing in front of her television at home.

She remembered everything, every chord from the violin, every beat of the drum, every lovely swell of the flute.

It made her feel happy, though left room for the empathy associated with all of the sadness of the world.

A lot of foot work was required and she was positive that she wasn't following the steps right at all but, she didn't care.

Grinning, Inoue allowed her hair to dance all around her as she gently moved in unison with the lovely assembly of instruments, her feet following the bass.

Out of breath but determined to continue, Inoue kept her eyes closed and fell deeper into her responses to the promptings of her heart.

Recalling a time when she and Tatsuki-chan had stayed home from school one day and simply goofed off, Inoue found that what she was doing reminded her of that. They had danced to all of their favorite bands and watched the television to see all the newest music videos.

The tune was an Irish jig and Inoue tried to remember how the steps went as she found herself concentrating primarily on that.

It required a lot of intricate and often vigorous movements, but Inoue's version was far less intense; she had always preferred the slower styles of dancing.

Ending her number with a few slow spins, she suddenly looked to the door as it opened and instantly halted her movements as she saw that it was Ulquiorra.

He walked over to her and, upon seeing her appearance altogether stopped and gazed at her with a look of bewilderment.

Her face flushed, breathing heavy and hair tousled, Inoue imagined she looked very strange at that moment, not to mention the final twirl he had caught her doing.

"Woman," he began, still confused, "what exactly have you been doing?"

Embarrassed and self conscious, Inoue tore her eyes away from his to gaze down at her hands, "Nothing, I was just…" she thought of something believable, "Uhm, working out."

He looked to her incredulously, "I see."

Inoue nodded and said nothing else, though she knew that he didn't accept her explanation as the truth.

He reached out and lifted a section of her disheveled hair, observing the way her crimson strands splayed wildly within his hand.

Inoue then looked to him and smiled uneasily.

He did not respond to her gesture, simply continued to observe her hair. Something about it seemed to interest him and Inoue found she had absolutely no idea as to what that reason was.

Ulquiorra continued to perceive her and felt himself slowly becoming entranced by her appearance. She looked so…what was the word? He couldn't quite determine the appropriate explanation but something about her disheveled hair and out of breath visage reminded him of a wild fire, constant and irrepressible.

Finally removing his hand and returning it to his pocket, Ulquiorra turned to look past her, at where the light on the wall displayed their silhouettes in shadow.

Inoue's smile faded as she watched him. He seemed a bit out of sorts and she marveled that at a time not so very long ago, she had not been able to notice when his mood would change.

He looked to her then and, upon seeing that her gaze had settled upon him, closed his eyes.

"Things are very soon going to change."

Inoue nodded but did not avert her gaze, "I know."

Ulquiorra opened his eyes and continued to look upon her without elaborating on his comment.

"What did Aizen want this time?" Inoue asked a moment later, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Just assigning us the roles he had mentioned the other day."

Nodding Inoue then lowered her eyes, "has he told you what will happen to me after this is all over?"

Silence ensued for what seemed an eternity to Inoue before the Espada finally answered, "No, he hasn't given me any further insight as to his intent for you."

Inoue didn't know why her eyes suddenly began to brim with tears at that but, after keeping her gaze lowered a moment longer, she shoved them aside with a hand. She was not going to let the Espada see her cry again.

"I'm sorry, Ulquiorra-kun," she then stated, looking to him, "I must seem really pathetic to you."

He didn't say anything at first, just continued to watch her many changing expressions.

"Pathetic?"

Inoue nodded, "yeah…"

Another moment passed before he continued, "no, not pathetic…different."

"Different?"

He lifted his hand again and directed his fingers to her heart, "different from me, because of what lies within your chest here."

"Ulquiorra-kun," Inoue suddenly began, deciding that if she didn't tell him all she needed now that another such moment might escape her. "I really want, more than anything for you to feel happy, and for you to know the world as I see it."

"That," he replied, "is ridiculous. By nature I can no longer feel those things."

Inoue lowered her head, "I don't believe that, I don't believe that at all." She lifted her own hand and brought it over the hole on his chest, "just because you're hollow, doesn't mean you've lost those things for good, you just have to know where to look to find them again."

"Woman," he closed his eyes before covering her hand with his. "You still don't understand me."

Shaking her head, Inoue wanted to continue but found that discussing the matter with him was pointless. Her heart sank a little at the realization that, even now, she was unable to get through to him.

"You are sad to hear that?"

Inoue looked to him before nodding, "All this time I've been trying to connect with you but now I find that…"

Ulquiorra closed his eyes, "It isn't your fault. The space that separates you from me is so vast that there was never any hope of breaching that distance."

Inoue clenched her fist suddenly and looked to him intensely, "I'm not giving up."

He seemed momentarily taken aback by her sudden change in demeanor but recovered and continued to silently gaze upon her.

"Even if it takes me forever, I won't give up on you, Ulquiorra-kun."

"Why such an ambition? It's not even worth the effort."

"It is!" Inoue countered, "It is because I care for you and I will continue to try my hardest to achieve that goal no matter what." She tightened her first, "I promise, Ulquiorra-kun."

He regarded her wordlessly before lifting his hand away from hers and resting it against her neck, the strands of her hair caressing his skin.

"And…" he paused, eying her carefully, "what if Aizen orders me to end your life? What then?"

Inoue's eyes shone with tears unshed but she didn't hesitate, "I've already told you. I'll accept it."

Ulquiorra's eyes widened in response at seeing the depth of her resolve.

He tightened his free hand and his gaze seemed to pierce through her own, "how could I…" he closed his eyes, "how do you expect me to kill you now? I admit that I no longer know what I would do were he to bestow that order upon me."

Inoue looked to him in astonishment and couldn't help the immediate swell of pleasure that had been instilled within her.

"I find I would not even be able to stand by and allow you to be killed by someone else."

Inoue inhaled sharply before suddenly smiling, her tears continuing to wait upon the brink of traveling down her face as she lowered her eyes in attempt to hide that fact from him.

Then, all at once, Ulquiorra knew the right word to describe her.

"You are…exquisite," he stated suddenly, observing the expression on her face, which presented the perfect combination of sadness and happiness.

Inoue blushed a little at that before looking to him and allowing her smile to widen. She then rushed forward and flung her arms around his neck, embracing him tightly.

He recovered from his surprise quickly and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close. He allowed one hand to rest behind her head as he buried his face within her auburn hair.

Her invigorating scent filled his lungs and her touch filled his entire being with unparalleled warmth.

Feeling her so close and experiencing everything that she was caused him to feel oddly…whole. As if all along she had been the one element missing from his existence, making it truly something he no longer detested.

Indeed, if he were to ever allow anyone to take that away from him, it would result in a fate worse than death.

Before, he would not have known what he was missing but now that he knew exactly what it was he most desired to hold onto, there would never be a way to regain his former state of mind and with that realization came an uncomfortable, yet accepted vulnerability.

"Ulquiorra-kun," she breathed as she closed her eyes, finally allowing her tears to break free.

He didn't reply at first but as he pulled her gently closer still, he whispered into her ear "Orihime…Inoue."


	16. Piercing the Air

Chapter XVI

Piercing the Air

_"The dance of battle is always played to the same impatient rhythm. What begins in a surge of violent motion is always reduced to the perfectly still." _

_- Sun Tzu_

* * *

><p>"What do you miss most about your previous world?" Ulquiorra asked as he lay beside Inoue on the couch. He held one arm around her torso while the other was leisurely placed beneath his head.<p>

The girl looked to him as she thought over his question. It was a tough one considering she missed almost everything. However, if she could only choose one thing…

"I suppose I miss the sun mostly," she lowered her gaze, "Hueco Mundo is always dark."

Ulquiorra's expression very briefly changed into something she couldn't decipher before it resumed its passive demeanor.

"Let's go outside tomorrow," he suddenly stated. "There's something I want to show you."

Inoue looked to him a moment before nodding, "alright, that sounds good. I've missed going outside with Ulquiorra-kun."

After a period of silence, Inoue thought of something she wanted to ask. "What do you like most about my world? I mean, since you were there not too long ago."

Ulquiorra regarded her a moment with caution before he finally responded. "I don't know, I really didn't observe it in that light." He paused, as if contemplating. He closed his eyes, "I suppose I would have to say that I admired the absence of emptiness."

Inoue smiled at his answer before she suddenly looked to him sadly. "Ulquiorra-kun, have you been…lonely here?"

He opened his eyes and gazed into hers for a long while before he slowly nodded, "yes, I suppose one could say that. I believe that my emptiness could be described as loneliness."

"Your…emptiness?"

"Each of the Espada represent..." he paused as if deciding whether or not to reveal his next words to her. "…a certain aspect of death."

Inoue's eyes widened as he continued.

"Hallibel, for instance, represents sacrifice; Grimmjow, destruction; Nnoitra, despair; Yammy, rage and…" he looked to her, "I represent emptiness."

"Ulquiorra-kun," Inoue replied sadly, before placing one hand over the hole that marred his chest. "That's…"

"No need to fret over it, Inoue," Ulquiorra responded.

Inoue nodded but continued to gaze at her hand, which covered the black emptiness that was a part of him. What exactly did it signify? That he would never find something to fill that void?

She closed her eyes then and decided that couldn't possibly be the truth. There was hope for everyone…

Remembering her promise, Inoue smiled and leaned into him, her head resting gently upon his shoulder.

"Look Ulquiorra-kun," Inoue suddenly stated, opening her eyes, "you can't even see it now."

As he gazed down at her hand, which nearly completely covered the hole in his chest, he removed his arm from behind his head and placed his own hand over hers.

"Inoue," he responded, "that's just…an illusion."

"Oh come on, Ulquiorra-kun, just pretend for a moment."

"Pretend?" he replied in a tone that bordered on the incredulous.

"Yes," Inoue nodded. "I do it all the time."

"Are you pretending now?"

Nodding again, the girl closed her eyes with a smile, "here, I'll show you how to do it. All it takes is feeling with all your senses that what you are imagining is real. You picture the setting, sights, scents, feel, and in some cases taste of the object of your fantasy."

She peeked up at him a moment to see that his eyes were listlessly gazing down at her. Continuing despite his indifference, Inoue closed her eyes again. "For instance, I am pretending that I am lying in my bed at home. It is soft, warm and smells like fresh cotton with an underlying scent of tropical breeze detergent. Surrounding me are my entire stuffed rabbit collection as well as the one teddy bear my brother won for me at the arcade. He is fluffy and brown with a small little teal bow tie around his neck. Sometimes the rabbits get jealous that I show him so much attention but they just don't understand my sentimental attachment to him."

She grinned, "Through the window I can feel the sunshine pouring down upon me as the cool wind makes my curtains dance and my hair sway about. Sometimes it gets annoying when it tickles my face but I like it all the same. The birds I can hear singing in the cherry tree just beyond my window as well as the occasional sound of a car passing by or the faint cry of the police or ambulance sirens as they rush to protect something or someone. I never know who but I pray for their well being all the same."

Sighing, Inoue paused a moment as she pictured the scene she had created. Literally feeling the many things she had described she kept her eyes closed, for fear of losing her glorious creation. "Above all else, I can feel the peace that accompanies such an easy going day, without school to attend or a meal to prepare. I can just lie all afternoon in my bed and enjoy everything around me. There really isn't anything else I enjoy doing so much as just doing nothing in a place I feel warm and secure."

Finally opening her eyes, Inoue saw that Ulquiorra was regarding her with an indefinable gleam in his eyes.

"And," he finally replied, "You are imagining that you are there right now?"

Inoue nodded, "I often do that, especially when things get really difficult to deal with. That is my second choice as a setting to place myself into."

"Second choice?"

"Yes," she replied, still smiling, "My first would be the field I christened as an inward paradise within my heart. A warm, golden field, set sometime in late summer. Everyone I know is there, including my brother and…including you, Ulquiorra-kun."

"Me?"

Nodding, Inoue replied, "at first I didn't know where to place you but, after a bit of thought I decided that the best place for you would be right beside me."

"Right beside you?" He asked, "Surely there's someone else you'd prefer in such a position."

"No," Inoue shook her head, "it's perfect the way it is."

As silence again filled the vacancy of conversation, Ulquiorra was the one who eventually interrupted it. "So, your bedroom scenario has left me with several questions."

"Huh?" Inoue asked, looking to him with furrowed brows, "what do you mean?"

"Well," Ulquiorra began, "to start off I'm just going to say that I now see why you so readily defended the rabbit in your little game of shadows."

"Eh!" Inoue replied with a blush, "are you talking about my collection?"

"Yes," he nodded, "that is indeed what I was referring to."

"Oh…." Inoue replied, lowering her gaze, "everyone always says I'm too old for that sort of thing. Either that or they find it so cute that they hug me until I can't breathe."

"Well," Ulquiorra replied, "I can assure you that I will do neither of those things."

"Uhm, thank you…I think…" Inoue replied before shaking her head suddenly, "What did you have a question about?"

Nodding before continuing, Ulquiorra replied, "_tropical breeze detergent_, for instance. What is that?"

"Oh that's an easy one," Inoue replied, "it's what I use to clean my clothes."

"I see," he replied, "and what about the _arcade_?"

"It's so much fun!" Inoue suddenly exclaimed resulting in his eyes widening slightly.

"Oh, sorry," she replied with a sheepish smile, "it's a place that has games, prizes and sometimes rides. It's where people go to enjoy themselves."

"Enjoy themselves, huh?" He replied absently, "do you humans often find the need for entertainment?"

"Well," Inoue replied, "not always, but every now and again we get bored and feel like going and doing something fun."

She then grinned, "I remember when I one time went with my friend, Tatsuki-chan to the arcade. It was so great. We had so much cotton candy that our tummy's hurt and we couldn't even win a single prize despite playing every game. My depth perception is really bad and I'm not that strong and so I really wasn't any good at most of the challenges."

With a sigh, Inoue's smile widened, "there was a firework show over the water that night and it was so beautiful. It made me feel like soaring through the air with them. It was one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen, the way the lights reflected off the water and everything."

"Fireworks?"

"Yes," Inoue nodded, "they are bright, colorful lights that explode in the sky."

"I'm trying to picture that," he responded then.

"Next time you're there, you should definitely make sure to see some." Inoue stated before it suddenly occurred to her that the next time Ulquiorra entered her world would be during the ensuing battle.

He noticed her sudden change of demeanor and observed her curiously. "What is it?"

"Oh," Inoue replied, forcing a smile, "nothing."

He simply regarded her in silence before deciding not to comment any further.

He continued to ask her questions and Inoue found that it was actually quite nice to just talk to him about things that weren't too thought provoking.

Hours went by and, as Inoue found herself falling further into the beckoning of slumber, she faintly noticed that Ulquiorra seemed to be troubled over something.

"Ulquiorra-kun," she mumbled softly, "are you…okay?"

He looked to her and observed her a moment before replying, "Quite, I'm just evaluating everything you've told me."

Inoue fought the urge to smile to herself at that. Only Ulquiorra would analyze all the trivial things she had told him.

"You're so silly, Ulquiorra-kun…" Inoue replied as she closed her eyes, the last thing she saw being the sudden contradicting look that crossed the Espada's face at her final comment.

As the early hours of the day approached, Inoue opened her eyes to see that Ulquiorra was still beside her, sleeping soundly.

She grinned at him, remembering how firm his resolve had been about not falling asleep when he was with her. He must've been tired and she imagined that with his ever-calculating mind he almost certainly inflicted a great deal of mental exhaustion over himself.

Closing her eyes she tried to regain her slumber but found the effort futile, as her mind had already fully woken.

Gazing about the room, Inoue marveled upon the many strange shadows that were cast by the bright moon outside.

Deciding she wanted to get up and stretch her legs, Inoue slowly stood, careful not to wake the Espada beside her.

Walking over to her favorite spot within the splay of light from the window, Inoue smiled as she lifted her arms over head and expanded her lethargic muscles.

As she lowered her arms, Inoue then remembered that Ulquiorra was going to take her outside that day. Smiling she looked to him again and simply observed his sleeping expression, which was so much less troubled than his typical façade.

Her eyes then lowered to where his sword rested against the sofa and felt an accompanying urge to wield it.

Walking over, she stooped and grasped the weapon, feeling the firmness of the emerald hilt.

Straightening, Inoue held it in both hands a moment before drawing it from the scabbard, her eyes observing the flawless steel.

Setting the scabbard gently down, Inoue observed how the sword glowed within the moonlight and held her breath as she tried to imagine what it was like to fight with such a piece.

"What are you doing?"

Inoue's eyes lifted to see that Ulquiorra was slowly sitting up and that he was regarding her curiously.

Smiling shyly, she responded, "I've just always wondered what it would feel like to use a sword."

As she proceeded to swing it from left to right, Inoue felt the slight rush of adrenaline at the sound of the weapon piercing the air.

Ulquiorra then stood and approached her before placing his hand over hers and halting her movements.

"Allow me to show you the proper way to use it."

He then stepped behind her, keeping one hand over hers and wrapping the other around her waist.

"When you face an opponent," he whispered into her ear, "you have to pour all of your energy and focus into your attacks."

He then lifted her sword hand and performed an expert thrust.

"Keep one foot behind you for balance and your gaze focused on neither your sword nor your enemy's, but on their eyes. You have to be able to predict the next attack before it happens."

Inoue was breathless as he guided her through many different sword techniques. It was altogether amazing and exhilarating to experience such a thing through him. She was able to see first hand all that he felt during battle. She was aware of everything from the weight of the weapon to the strength of his hand as it moved with hers.

The hand that grasped her waist gently moved her body to fulfill the certain stances that accompanied each of the individual methods.

"Keep your posture straight, and your mind alert," he continued, "and never allow yourself to go too strong on either the offensive or the defensive; you must always objectively observe and utilize which tactic is the most appropriate."

He lifted their hands and then flipped her wrist to allow the sword to face down, "this is the best method for blocking. It leaves you in more control of your weapon as it puts less strain on the muscles in your hand."

He then raised her hand and turned her body sideways, "the best strategy I've observed is to play the defensive role at the start of every battle in order to analyze the fighting style of your opponent while also locating a potential weakness. Once you are confident in your deduction you can begin the offense."

Inoue simply allowed him to orchestrate her movement, wary to say anything for fear that he would drop the curtain on his elating performance.

"Always be mindful of the pressure your body takes, fighting is just as much about understanding the anatomy and limits over your own body as it is about understanding the weapon itself."

Inoue had to admit that he was very skilled and she briefly wondered how Ichigo would fare in a fight against him. Her heart ached at that thought and, as Ulquiorra continued to educate her in the way of the sword, she couldn't help but wonder what she would do if the two were to face off and battle to the death.

Thinking objectively she knew that Ichigo was the sort who didn't just fight someone without cause and Ulquiorra, she was beginning to realize, did not needlessly face an opponent either.

She hoped with all her heart that they would simply avoid one another and not happen upon a circumstance where a fight would be inevitable.

"It's kind of like dancing," Inoue suddenly remarked, causing Ulquiorra to look to her as the sword hung suspended within their grasp.

Meeting his gaze, she smiled, "your way of fighting is very precise and gentle, though powerful and confident at the same time." She looked to their hands, "I've never seen anyone fight like this but, the more I think about it the more it makes sense. It completely belongs to Ulquiorra-kun because the style suits his personality so perfectly."

Lowering their arms, Ulquiorra continued to observe her as she lifted her eyes to his again.

"I like the way you fight," Inoue concluded.

He said nothing, just seemed unable to look away from her. She wondered if perhaps no one had ever so closely evaluated his fighting style, much less expressed an admiration for it.

His hold over her hand tightened slightly before he reached under her grasp and removed the sword from her fingers, thus allowing the weapon to fall to the floor.

"I don't understand how you're always able to inflict such responses from me," the Espada finally stated, "I never know how to react when you say such things."

Inoue just smiled up at him, "that's okay, Ulquiorra-kun. I don't mind when you can't find things to say. I actually think it's kind of cute sometimes."

"That's a rather demeaning statement," the Espada replied with a sullen look.

"No it's not," Inoue replied, "it's not demeaning at all."

"It is," Ulquiorra countered, "that's undeniably a term more suited for your stuffed rabbits and so I don't appreciate being brought to the same level as them."

Inoue flushed, "no…that's a term you can apply to a lot of things."

"Oh?" he replied, "well, regardless it makes it appear as if you think me to be one of your stuffed rabbits when you say that."

Inoue wondered if he knew how unreasonably silly he sounded as he said those things, and she subsequently fought the urge to laugh; he looked so sincere.

"Alright," she replied, her lips fighting a grin, "I won't treat you like them."

"I appreciate the consideration," he responded flatly.

"Oh that's so kind of you, Espada-san," Inoue stated with exaggerated sweetness.

Ulquiorra's eyes looked to his sword briefly before he lifted them to her, resulting in a curious look from the girl.

"Eh? You aren't _that_ angry with me are you, Ulquiorra-kun?"

"Perhaps not," he responded as he advanced a step closer, "but I wouldn't be too hasty to assume that, woman."

Inoue laughed uneasily and placed a hand on her head before opening her eyes to see that he continued to passively stare at her, though she could see an underlying amusement in the way he regarded her.

He lifted his hand and aimed it for her chest, his eyes continuing to stare into hers.

She tried to smile but found it difficult in response to such a threatening gesture, even if he was merely jesting.

As his hand moved towards her, Inoue suddenly decided she had enough of his playing around and reached up to grasp his hand tightly.

His eyes widened at her reaction and she eyed him defiantly a moment before unexpectedly leaning forward and placing a firm kiss on his lips.

Blushing as she pulled away, Inoue released his hand before shaking her head, "sorry I didn't really know what else to do."

"So," Ulquiorra began after he had recovered somewhat, "your immediate reaction to a threat is to kiss someone?"

He then looked to her with an almost amused gleam, "I would be lying if I said I was surprised by that, however. It's just like you, doing things that no one could expect."

"Oh…" Inoue looked down, "you think I'm crazy, don't you?"

Regarding her in silence a moment, Ulquiorra seemed to smile very, very slightly. "Yes, Orihime Inoue, yes I do."

"Oh…" She lowered her eyes as her flush continued to deepen.

He then took a step closer to her and brought his hands through her hair, resulting in her looking to him with widened eyes.

"Still," he replied, his voice barely above a whisper, "don't call me cute."

Inoue blinked but did not smile as her eyes continued to intently gaze upon his face.

"Inoue…," he continued then, the amused edge to his tone fading completely, "do you really admire the way I fight?"

Inoue slowly nodded before she was able to display a small smile, "yes, Ulquiorra Cifer, yes I do."

"I see," came his reply, as his mind contemplated her answer.

With her looking up at him in such a way, Ulquiorra could not even imagine her absent from his existence. Since when had she become of such value to him? How had he missed that sudden change within his own disposition toward her?

How was it that she was able to wield such power over him? He was entirely without the will to fight against it. No one had ever conquered him before she came along and, upon her having done so, his entire being willingly, and completely accepted it…Curious indeed, though he could hardly find a suitable reason to explain the occurrence.


	17. Sun Surrounded Embrace

Chapter XVII

Sun Surrounded Embrace

"_When I see you the world stops. It stops and all that exists for me is you and my eyes staring at you. There's nothing else."_

_-James Frey_

* * *

><p>Later that day, after Inoue had just finished her second meal, Ulquiorra approached her and inclined his head to the door. "You ready to go outside?"<p>

Inoue nodded with a wide smile before standing and stepping beside him as they left the room.

Closing the door behind them, Ulquiorra shoved his hands in his pockets before seeming to debate which would be the best direction to take.

Inoue looked to the fluorescent lighting on the ceiling and felt an accompanying tug as she thought of how much it reminded her of the halls at her school.

Seeing that Ulquiorra had stopped to look at her, Inoue allowed the momentary feeling to pass and replaced it with apprehension. She really wanted to discover what the Espada was waiting to show her.

Smiling she continued to follow him as he proceeded up a flight of stairs and across three long halls. Inoue wondered to herself how it was that he never got lost in a place so vast.

Some of the lower ranked attendants would stare at her strangely but, as soon as their eyes set on Ulquiorra they would avert their eyes and continue on their way.

Inoue looked to the one who was ranked fourth and wondered what unknown powers lay dormant within his being. Grimmjow had said he'd never seen him go all out, but what exactly did that mean? Was he something like a Shinigami where he had a technique equivalent to a Bankai?

The sound of voices wafting towards them caused both to stop and look to the direction of the source.

Inoue's eyes widened slightly as she saw that it was the blue-eyed man and child from before.

The man gazed at the pair of them a moment before nodding to Ulquiorra, who returned the nod.

Inoue looked to the young girl at the man's side and saw that she was staring at her curiously.

For some reason, she couldn't help the feeling that they were in a completely different caliber than the others, closer in kin to how Hallibel and Ulquiorra himself behaved.

Even the Espada at her side seemed to regard him differently, almost as if he treated the man with silent respect rather than apparent annoyance.

Inoue watched as the girl then tugged at the man's sleeve and whispered something. Hesitating a moment, the man sent she and Ulquiorra one last glance before he and the child turned to leave.

Ulquiorra, likewise, turned and continued his journey. After gazing after the pair a moment, Inoue followed close behind.

"Ulquiorra-kun," she then ventured after several moments, "who was that just now?"

Not responding at first, he sent her a sidelong glance before closing his eyes, "that was Stark."

Inoue smiled to herself, she had guessed right. "And, what rank is he?"

His reply surprised her, "he is the Prima Espada."

"Eh?" Inoue replied before suddenly remembering that he had said Hallibel was also stronger than he. "Is Hallibel second?"

"No," he responded, "she is third. The previous King of Hueco Mundo is second."

Inoue's eyes widened, "the previous king? There was such a person?"

"Indeed," Ulquiorra responded, "but he was weak and Aizen easily overthrew him."

She had to wonder why the second Espada chose to follow the man who had taken everything away from him. She then also speculated that perhaps not all the Espada were as loyal as they appeared.

Ulquiorra did not elaborate on his statement and so left Inoue to her thoughts during the rest of their walk.

Something then began to slowly occur to her. It seemed that, with each progression of rank within the Espada, there was also evidence of higher evolution. She had been told the story of the Hollow and of how they each increased in level.

It appeared that, the stronger the hollow, the more _human-like_ they became also.

She lifted her eyes to Ulquiorra's figure and continued to pursue her current train of thought. He did not fully understand emotions but it seemed that Hallibel and even Stark _did_.

She had never spoken with the second rank but if he had the will to oppose Aizen than that showed evolution as well, because he had to harbor some resenting feelings for the man. He had to have reached a higher understanding so as to be able to see through Aizen's manipulations.

If that was the case and, if hollow were constantly growing stronger then…she smiled to herself as she continued to gaze upon Ulquiorra…perhaps there _was_ hope for him to become more human and come to understand all the things that he didn't seem to comprehend.

Inoue's heart lifted at her discovery and her smile widened as Ulquiorra then stopped at a door, his hand lingering on the handle a moment.

"You ready?" he looked to her then and seemed momentarily taken aback by her smile as she gazed at him.

At her nod, he turned to the door and slowly opened it allowing for a glowing wave of light to wash over Inoue as her eyes widened and her lips parted in astonishment.

It was the sun; the glorious, bright, warming sun.

Inoue looked to Ulquiorra, who was observing her reaction intensely.

She couldn't even find words to describe all that she was feeling in that moment. He asked her what she missed most and then had given her that very thing.

Allowing her eyes to look outside, she tentatively stepped forward as if fearing that it was somehow an illusion. Walking past him, she continued over the threshold and found herself on a large balcony that over looked the many structures that comprised Las Noches.

The wind soared all around her and she closed her eyes as she felt the warmth radiate across her skin. Then, opening her eyes to look to the brilliant light, she raised a hand and stretched it upward, as if wanting to hold the sun within her palm.

After a moment she turned to Ulquiorra, who had stepped out to join her, the door already closed behind him.

He seemed to be watching the way the light reflected and enhanced all the colors within her scarlet locks as the wind danced and billowed through her hair.

Neither moved towards the other but as Inoue slowly smiled, she reached out her hand, indicating that he should join her.

He stood still another moment before he slowly approached her, not bothering to take hold of her hand but instead bringing both his to her face as he continued to gaze into her eyes.

She felt him bring his lips to her forehead where he held them a moment before pulling her forward to embrace her as he lowered both hands to her back.

She lifted her arms around his waist and closed her eyes as he held her. The moment was perfect, with the sun shining down and the breeze cool and caressing as it surrounded them.

"Ulquiorra-kun," she began softly, "thank you."

Expecting him to defer her statement of gratitude, her eyes opened upon hearing his response.

"Does it make you happy, Inoue?"

Inoue pulled back to look up at him before nodding, "yes, you-" she felt her eyes tearing up and berated herself again for allowing such a thing to always happen. "You probably don't know just how happy it makes me."

"I don't," he replied then, "and I don't really understand your connection to that light in the sky but," he paused and then regarded her almost gently, "if it makes you happy then I feel a strange semblance of accomplishment."

Inoue smiled again and then brought a hand to her eyes so as to wipe away the tears before they fell.

He held her a breath longer before releasing her and walking to the railing, placing one hand atop it as he gazed down to the scene below.

Inoue turned and joined him, resting both arms upon the banister.

She then raised one hand to hold the hair out of her face as the wind swept against her back.

"I do believe I should tell you that this isn't the real sun," he began, "it's only an illusion created by Aizen."

Inoue looked to him before smiling, "that's okay, it is very much like the real thing and so I enjoy it all the same."

He regarded her silently before allowing his gaze to return to the wall that surround Las Noches and at the sands far beyond.

Lifting her eyes to his profile, Inoue watched him silently. He looked very complacent in that moment and it was something she never wanted to forget. Marveling over all that they had experienced together, Inoue could hardly believe it herself.

How strange it was to think that she and an Espada had become so close. She wondered what people would say if they knew. Somehow, she was relieved that her future would not continue past the world of Hueco Mundo. Indeed, there didn't seem a place for them to be as they were beyond the boundaries of the shadowed world.

As his eyes fell to her, he turned his face slightly and seemed to somewhat understand the course of her thoughts. Then, as she leaned closer to him, she smiled and softly placed her lips against his. Gently they held one another within the kiss, feeling within it all that seemed to course around them.

As he released her, she continued to smile up at him before noting that he seemed to be thinking over something.

"I can't quite determine which of your features I admire most," he began, bringing a single hand to her lips, before allowing his fingers to fall within the strands of her hair. "Your eyes or," he looked to his hand, which lingered within the magnificent crimson. "Your hair."

"My hair?" she asked then before suddenly flushing, "people used to make fun of it you know and… it always used to make me cry."

She then smiled again, "but my brother told me how fond of it he was and encouraged me to grow it out for him. I didn't listen until after…" she trailed off and lowered her gaze, "but now I'm happy that I did as it always reminds me of him now."

She lifted a hand to one of her flower pins, "he also gave me these."

"Did he?" Ulquiorra asked, "Those are what you use to reject."

Inoue nodded, "yes, all along he knew what I was capable of."

"I see," he responded then, before looking to her hair once more, "then it is decided."

She looked to him, "huh?"

"I admire your hair most of all."

Her blush deepened then but she didn't look away. "Well, I like…" she continued to grow redder, "I like yours too."

"There's nothing at all extraordinary about mine," he replied.

"Sure there is," Inoue smiled, "it's very smooth and is a very striking shade of black. It reminds me of the night sky."

"Which is what you see all the time, thus making it less than extraordinary."

"Yes, but" she shook her head, "that doesn't make it any less beautiful, I mean, I see you all the time too…" she trailed off as her eyes widened and her cheeks flushed again.

"Oh?" Ulquiorra seemed suddenly amused by that, "I'm not mistaken in saying then that you find yourself strangely attracted by my appearance?"

Inoue brought both hands to her face, in attempt to hide her embarrassment, "stop it, Ulquiorra-kun."

She then saw a semblance of a smile take his lips. "There's no need for you to always feel so self-conscious, Orihime."

"Sure there is," she responded, "when you say things like that."

"Say things like what?" he questioned.

"You know…" Inoue replied.

"I don't."

Looking to him she allowed a frown, "You are doing that on purpose."

"Am I?" he asked then, tilting his head upward slightly.

"Yes!" Inoue clenched one had into a fist.

"What exactly are you going to do with that?" he challenged as he looked to her tightened hand.

Inoue lifted it quickly and flung it towards him before slowing and allowing it to softly hit his chest.

"Ouch."

Frowning again, Inoue shook her head, "I wasn't trying to hurt you I was just…pretending."

"Ah yes," he replied, "you mentioned that you enjoy doing that."

"Why are you being so…" Inoue searched for the appropriate word, "so…frustrating?"

"Am I frustrating you?"

Inoue sighed then before turning and crossing her arms as she faced away, her brows set angrily.

Ulquiorra then stepped forward and wrapped both arms around her, "Do you want me to stop?"

"Yes," Inoue muttered.

He silently complied thus resulting in Inoue looking up to him with a compulsory smile.

As he withdrew his arms, she walked to the railing and leaned over it, looking to the ground far below.

He followed behind her, simply watching as she grinned.

She at once felt the accompanying feeling within the base of her stomach at the prospect of being so high.

She had never experienced a fear of heights and was now very grateful for that.

Ulquiorra lifted a hand and placed it against her back, "don't fall now, if you do I'll have to race down and catch you."

As she glanced to him he eyed her almost teasingly, "I only hope I'll be fast enough."

"What are you saying, Ulquiorra-kun?" Inoue smiled, "of course you would be. You're…" she gazed up at him then with a look that resembled awe, "you're the fastest person I've ever seen."

The humorous glint faded within his eyes as a gleam of surprise replaced it. Not surprise that she had recognized his ability, of which he was very much aware, but that she seemed to admire it.

"I find myself unable to comprehend why you find my fighting abilities so commendable. I was designed to kill, that is the only thing those traits are good for."

Inoue lowered her eyes briefly, before returning them to his, "No, not just for killing…I like to think that they can be used to…" she paused and smiled once more, "protect."

His eyes widened and he found that he once again had nothing to say in response to her theory. Her words from before suddenly began to resound throughout his mind…

"_There are also those who protect the weaker creations, those who strive for more than instinct…"_

"As you just said," Inoue continued, "you would race down to catch me, which makes what I said seem true."

They continued to wordlessly gaze upon one another, content in the simple moment that they both knew was fleeting and valuable.

Inoue then grinned and looked to the ground below. "Will you jump with me?"

Ulquiorra blinked, "what?"

Placing her hands in his, Inoue tilted her head to the railing, "I want you to jump with me. I want to feel what it's like to move as fast as you can."

"I don't know if that's-"he stopped then and observed the excited gleam within her eyes, all at once feeling an accompanying desire to fulfill her wish.

He tightened his hold on her hands before altogether releasing them and moving to stand behind her, wrapping his arms firmly about her waist.

"You sure about this?" He inquired softly into her ear.

Inoue nodded apprehensively, placing her arms over his tightly, "yes, absolutely."

Ulquiorra closed his eyes then, inhaling the sweet scent that dwelt within her crimson hair.

After another breath, he stepped forward, reached the railing, then jumped and flipped over, resulting in Inoue gasping slightly.

After the briefest moment of suspension, they sped toward the ground below, the wind rushing past furiously.

Inoue grinned as she closed her eyes, heart beating frantically and grasp tightening over his arms.

It felt amazing, the plummeting feeling within her and the accompanying rush of adrenaline. Ulquiorra looked to her and felt a small smile make its way to his face as he recognized the familiar euphoria.

Holding her close, he gathered every ounce of speed within him as the ground neared. Inoue opened her eyes and bit her lip as she wondered how fast he would be able to stop.

Then, as if time itself slowed, he brought them safely to the gravel awaiting them, holding her upright as he delicately placed her down.

Inoue felt lightheaded but altogether elated as she turned to face him with a wide grin. "That was amazing," she began breathlessly, "I've never experienced anything like that."

Ulquiorra looked to her with an almost contented expression, "you never cease to surprise me. I'd never observed you to be much of a thrill seeker."

"That's me," Inoue replied with a chuckle, "Hime the adrenaline enthusiast."

"Hime?"

"Oh," she widened her eyes as she placed a hand to her head, "that's just a nickname some of my friends use."

"I see," he replied then before placing a hand atop the one she held to her head, "you always do that."

"Eh?" she asked, confused, "do what?"

"Place your hand here whenever you are self-conscious or embarrassed, most of the time when you say things without thinking."

Inoue blushed as she lowered the hand quickly, "oh, I never noticed that."

Ulquiorra inclined his head slightly as he continued to gaze at her, his eyes intrigued.

"What?" she asked again, continuing to blush.

"Nothing," he replied, "I'm just looking at you."

Inoue allowed her eyes to fall to her hands, "well…it makes me feel somewhat…"

"Self-conscious?"

After she slowly nodded, Ulquiorra smirked very, very slightly before holding out a hand, "you ready to head back up?"

Her eyes returned to his, excitement at once returning, "Yep!"

She placed her hand within his and he pulled her towards him, embracing her within a hug and holding her head against his chest while placing his other hand against her back securely.

She wrapped her arms about his waist and closed her eyes, reveling within his always surprising warmth.

He jumped and they sped upward, the adrenaline filling her once more and the grin returning.

She felt as if they were flying and she found herself wishing that the moment could last forever.

He pulled her closer and she whole-heartedly complied.

Flipping so as to breach the railing, Ulquiorra again landed effortlessly before looking to Inoue, who still clung to him tightly.

"_Hime,"_ He called almost teasingly, causing her to look to him with a playful glare.

She grinned then and eased her grip upon his coat, not realizing that her hands had lost almost all of their blood flow.

"You alright?" he asked, observing how flushed her face was.

"Yep," she replied with an affirmative nod.

Then, as he lowered his arms and she stepped back, he looked to the door, "are you ready to head back in?"

She lowered her eyes, "yeah, I suppose so."

He was about to comment on her response before a startling chill pulsed through him.

"Well, well," a sudden menacing voice called to them, "ain't this sweet?"

Inoue's eyes widened as both she and Ulquiorra turned to see Nnoitra perched on the roof above them.


	18. Contrasting Crimson

Chapter XVIII

Contrasting Crimson

"_Will you still hold me when you see what I have done? _

_Will you still kiss me the same, _

_When you taste my victim's blood? _

_So crimson and red,_

_I feel it flowing from your lips."_

_-Atreyu_

* * *

><p>The fifth Espada jumped down to where they stood, his grin widening.<p>

"Nnoitra," Ulquiorra began, "return to whatever hole you just crawled out of."

Laughing the other Espada shook his head, "you're not getting away this time, I told you we weren't finished didn't I?"

Ulquiorra closed his eyes, "I've told you before, I have no intent to fight-"

Nnoitra suddenly grabbed Inoue by the neck and lifted her over the railing, holding her body suspended over the ground below.

Ulquiorra's eyes opened immediately and he moved to stop him.

Nnoitra grinned, "You come one step closer without drawing your sword and she dies."

Looking to Inoue, Ulquiorra seemed to calculate how fast he could catch her if Nnoitra let go.

The other Espada, however, saw through his estimations. "You won't make it, not while I'm here to intercept you just long enough for it to be too late."

He laughed, "And also…" he looked to where his subordinate was standing on the roof.

Ulquiorra straightened and regarded Nnoitra a moment before placing a hand on his hilt. He hesitated another second before slowly drawing his sword and suspending it towards his opponent. "So be it. Let her go."

Grin growing impossibly wider, the slink eyed Espada pulled Inoue forward and then threw her to the ground behind him.

"You stay back, ya here me girl?" Nnoitra stated to Inoue, "I want you to watch as I defeat this disgrace to Aizen and all the rest of us."

His subordinate then appeared behind Inoue and forced her to stand, keeping one hand locked around her arm.

Ulquiorra looked to Inoue and she held his eyes, her own beginning to liquefy and shimmer. '_Please_ _Win, Ulquiorra-kun…'_

He then returned his eyes to Nnoitra, who was observing the two of them malevolently. "You two are so heart wrenching I can't stand it."

"Enough," Ulquiorra replied, "let's get this over with so that I can finally put you in your place."

"Ha!" the Espada bellowed, "now that's what I'm talkin' about!"

Ulquiorra stepped sideways and placed one foot forward, balancing himself.

Inoue watched him prepare for the battle and was reminded of all that he had told her about fighting.

"_Keep one foot behind you for balance and your gaze focused on neither your sword nor your enemy's, but on their eyes."_

Nnoitra rushed towards him and Ulquiorra blocked the first attack, flipping his wrist so that his sword faced down.

"_This is the best method for blocking. It leaves you in more control of your weapon as it puts less strain on the muscles in your hand."_

Slashing away at his opponent, Nnoitra continued to relentlessly advance towards Ulquiorra and Inoue briefly wondered why her Espada didn't fight back before suddenly recalling why.

"_The best strategy I've observed is to play the defensive role at the start of every battle in order to analyze the fighting style of your opponent while also locating a potential weakness."_

The same method continued for several moments before Ulquiorra suddenly changed his tactic and, within a brief opening, slashed at Nnoitra's chest.

"_Once you are confident in your deduction you can begin the offense."_

Nnoitra stepped back and, upon seeing the tear in his shirt and small scarlet cut, spat and glared. "Enjoy this moment, Cifer. 'Cause ya won't be gettin' a second shot at me!"

Advancing forward, the Espada lifted his scythe over Ulquiorra, who instantly jumped and met it halfway with his sword.

Suspended a moment within the clash of weapons, the two then separated before moving towards one another for a second strike.

Inoue watched them carefully as they continued to battle high above her. She followed Ulquiorra's movements and felt her heart jump slightly every time he evaded a thrust from his opponent.

Their fighting styles were entirely different, she observed. While Ulquiorra's was precise and careful, Nnoitra's was compulsory and aggressive.

Then, as Nnoitra presented another opening, Ulquiorra quickly cut him across the chest, in the same location as the first.

"Argh!" The Espada hollered angrily as he flew back, his glare turning murderous.

"Second shot, achieved," Ulquiorra taunted Nnoitra.

The latter gritted his teeth before rushing forward, his demeanor more violent than before and his eyes determined and blood thirsty.

Inoue at once felt chilled by the ferocious spike in his reiatsu.

They fought for countless more moments before, after receiving another slash across his abdomen, Nnoitra stood panting as he looked upon his unscathed opponent.

"I'm going to end this now!"

"On the contrary," Ulquiorra replied, "_I_ will be the one doing that."

"We will see about that," Nnoitra slithered before suddenly surrounding himself with a golden light, his reiatsu escalating as it surged around him. Ulquiorra and Inoue's eyes simultaneously widened as they watched him.

"PRAY," Nnoitra shouted, "_SANTA TERESA_!"

The wind then howled all around them as the light grew and blinded, encompassing the Espada's form.

Inoue covered her eyes until she felt the power balance, thus calming the fierce wind and diminishing the overpowering glow.

As Inoue looked to the new form of the Espada, she felt her mouth part. He had four arms and within each he held a deadly scythe, all aimed towards Ulquiorra.

Her heart seemed to plummet within her chest as she could sense that Nnoitra's power now far outweighed his opponent.

"What's the matter, Cifer?" Nnoitra grinned, "Did ya forget that I was able to do this here?"

Ulquiorra continued to regard him without expression a moment before lifting his sword and replying, "Even with your release, you are not on the same level as I."

Glaring, the Espada sped forward, his eyes on Ulquiorra with a determination to kill.

Ulquiorra barely dodged one of the blades before another came crashing down from above him. Reflexively, he blocked before being flung by a third into a nearby wall.

Inoue flinched and felt her heart pounding as she watched the collision.

Nnoitra wasted no time in following up on his attack and subsequently raced towards his opponent, lifting all fours scythes.

Ulquiorra opened his eyes and instinctively turned his body just enough to avoid the onslaught.

He raised his sword and flipped over and behind Nnoitra, readying his emerald cero.

Nnoitra, however, quickly turned and grasped his wrist, tilting his head out of the way as the cero shot past him.

Ulquiorra's eyes widened before he received a unison of two slashes across his chest.

"That's what they call karma," The looming Espada stated before flinging his body downwards and then chasing after him.

"You don't have a chance in hell to defeat me as you are!"

Ulquiorra changed course and charged at Nnoitra, blocking the two blades sent his way, maneuvering around the third and then grabbing the fourth with his hand.

Nnoitra's smile disappeared before Ulquiorra lifted his blade and sent it coursing towards his neck.

However, the scythes he had initially blocked suddenly came behind him, leaving him with little choice but to fling himself upwards and away from the attack.

"You can't handle it!" Nnoitra hollered, "It's so enjoyable to see you this way, Cifer!"

The fight continued the same and every second of it tortured Inoue as each would gain the upper hand only to be immediately thwarted by the other.

However, Inoue soon began to realize that the situation was beginning to take a turn for the worst as Nnoitra's rage continued to intensify.

Ulquiorra was losing and there was nothing she could do about it. Couldn't he make himself more powerful as Nnoitra had done? What was he doing?

Then, it happened, the moment she had feared.

When Ulquiorra had averted his eyes a mere second to look at her, Nnoitra had taken advantage of the sudden opening and raised all four blades, sending them crashing down on his opponent.

Unable to block or dodge, Ulquiorra's eyes widened as he took the multiple hits.

Nnoitra then kicked him hard, sending him crashing towards the terrace.

Landing at Inoue's feet, Ulquiorra immediately moved to get up, his shirt tattered and the crimson staining the white in morbid contrast. Nnoitra, however, landed beside him and placed one foot over his back, halting his movement.

He leered down at his opponent before kicking his sword from his hand and reaching down to pick him up behind his neck, as they both faced the girl before them.

Inoue looked to Ulquiorra with tears in her eyes as she desperately tried to pull herself free from the man who continued to restrain her.

"Oy! Little girl!" Nnoitra shouted as he demanded her attention.

Inoue looked to him, her face morphed into one of sheer desperation.

"You see," Nnoitra began as he tightened his hold on Ulquiorra, "unlike me, Mr. Rank four here is not allowed to transform within Las Noches. Aizen has forbidden all the higher ranks to do so."

Inoue clutched at her dress, the tears falling from her eyes, "please leave him alone, you've already defeated him…"

Before he could answer, however, Inoue saw that Ulquiorra had already prepared a cero, concealed at his side and aimed for Nnoitra's chest.

The green blast sent the latter staggering back as Ulquiorra rose and placed both hands into his pockets.

Nnoitra gasped and clutched at the severe burn inflicted upon his skin. "Screw you!"

Ulquiorra closed his eyes and looked away, before turning to Inoue, "are you-"

"Behind you!" she shouted as Nnoitra came rushing forward, swords at the ready and aimed to impale the Espada before her.

Ulquiorra's eyes widened and he reached for his sword only to find that he had not grabbed it.

Then, as Inoue watched the scene in dread, a flash of white rushed past her vision and she then saw all four scythes being flung from Nnoitra and to the ground below the terrace.

Her eyes lifted to see that someone now stood between the sparring pair. It was…

"Stark," she breathed.

Ulquiorra and Nnoitra both looked to the man with expressions of astonishment.

"I honestly don't understand why everyone goes around and does these sorts of things," Stark stated, "is fighting all you ever think about?"

The girl that always escorted him then stepped out from beyond the doorway, a smirk on her face.

Nnoitra spat, "mind your own business."

Stark closed his eyes, "afraid I can't do that. You see…" he looked to the enraged Espada with a bored expression, "Aizen still has need for every one of you. I don't feel he would be too happy to hear if either of you were just killed off like that."

He then lifted both arms behind his neck, "and besides, I abhor violence, detest it even."

Ulquiorra briefly looked back to Inoue, whose face was still pale with shock.

Nnoitra glared before suddenly lifting Ulquiorra's sword off the ground and attempting a thrust on the man before him.

Stark reached up and caught the blade with his hand before easily yanking it out of his attacker's grasp and holding it out behind him, "I believe this belongs to you. Kind wasn't it, for Nnoitra to be so good as to return it to you?"

Ulquiorra grasped his sword and returned it to its hilt, looking to Nnoitra passively. "Indeed."

Nnoitra glared before turning and jumping down off the balcony to collect his scythes, his subordinate following.

Inoue did not move when her captor left, simply stood petrified, her legs weak and her heart continuing to pound relentlessly against her chest.

As Ulquiorra looked to Stark he nodded, and the latter returned the gesture before looking to the small child beside him.

"What, are you ready to go already?

She crossed her arms, "Are you kidding? I didn't even wanna come here in the first place!"

"Hey now," Stark shrugged before walking past her and towards the door, "you don't have to act like that."

He then leaned against the wall and looked to the sky a moment before returning his gaze to Ulquiorra and Inoue.

"You two had better get going, I doubt Nnoitra will come back up here but…you never know."

Inoue blinked and took a step towards Ulquiorra, who had turned to look at her.

As the pair slowly made their way to the door, Inoue found she couldn't remove her eyes from the deep gash across Ulquiorra's chest or the several others that marred his skin.

They entered the cool atmosphere of the fortress and continued on down the many sets of stairs that led to her cell. Ulquiorra didn't speak a word and Inoue found that she couldn't really think of anything to say either.

Her mind felt entirely numb and her body was shaken as she attempted to reclaim a semblance of feeling,

Upon entering her room, Inoue stared absently at the wall, her sight completely focused on nothing but the white of the paint.

After a moment, she looked to Ulquiorra and for the first time saw the black number engraved on his chest. She met his eyes as he gazed at her without expression.

He then turned and walked over to the wall before slowly lowering himself to the floor, sitting against the marble with one hand draped over a knee.

She slowly walked towards him before raising a hand to the pin within her hair as she fell to her knees and began in a whisper, "Soten Kishun I-"

He reached up and grabbed her hand, "no, Inoue, you don't need to do that."

"But-" she replied, her voice wavering.

Ulquiorra lowered his gaze and her eyes followed, falling upon his chest where there was no longer a single blemish.

"How did you-" her eyes widened.

"High speed regeneration," Ulquiorra replied, "most of those who transition to the level of Arrancar sacrifice healing ability for greater power but I," he returned his gaze to her face, "chose to keep my regenerative ability."

"Oh…" Inoue replied, her voice breaking as she continued to keep her eyes lowered.

He continued to watch her expression with interest as she absently gazed at his torso, her eyes seemingly set on the absence of his wounds.

When she finally lifted her gaze she observed the tattered remains of his shirt as well as the disheveled strands of his hair. His face was not scarred but the darkened tint to areas of his skin reflected all the bruising he had been dealt during the fight.

Then, all at once, the realization of everything that had taken place came rushing back to her.

Her heart began to pound harder and her breathing became more labored as she felt her eyes begin to sting with the encroaching onslaught of all her emotions.

Then, after another second upon the brink between suppression and release, Inoue brought both her hands to her face and squeezed her eyes closed as the tears freely fell down her cheeks and gentle sobs replaced her harsh breathing.

Ulquiorra regarded her speechlessly as she continued to cry, his confusion evident. His eyes widened slowly at the sight of Inoue's tears as they ceaselessly fell down her face and to her lap below.

Her entire body trembled with sobs and Ulquiorra, after hesitating a moment, leaned forward and guardedly placed his fingers against one of her hands.

"Why are you crying?" he asked.

Without lowering her hands, Inoue shook her head before answering with a tear-stricken voice, "I-I really thought he was going to k-kill you..."

He let his hand fall then as he merely stared at her, his eyes continuing to widen.

"I don't know what I would do if-if Ulquiorra-kun were to just die like that…" She lifted her face then to look into his eyes, her hands clenched together over her mouth, "I was so afraid the entire time."

"Woman…" he began, trailing off as she closed her eyes again. "There isn't any need for that. There was never a chance that he could defeat me, all along I had the ability to heal myself. I'm unharmed so there's nothing to be afraid of."

As his confusion intensified, he still could not comprehend her reaction over him. She was crying because she hadn't wanted him to die…Why was she so distraught over something like that? He didn't understand it at all.

"Don't…" she began before opening her eyes once more, "don't ever die Ulquiorra-kun."

He couldn't look away from her then, as her apprehensive gaze held his completely. Her face was flushed from crying and her skin moistened by the wet of her tears. Strands of crimson hair stuck to her face and her hands continued to press against her lips as she desperately tried to satiate her sobbing.

Compelled by something he could not recognize, Ulquiorra then reached forward and placed a hand behind her head, pulling her towards him before placing a tender kiss on the side of her face.

Inoue closed her eyes as she felt his lips, her tears continuing to cascade down her cheeks but her sobs fading gradually.

As he pulled away she lowered her hands and looked to him as he looked to her sincerely.

It was the most emotion she had ever seen upon his face.

He slowly closed his eyes before leaning forward and bringing his lips to hers, kissing her firmly.

Inoue's eyes closed in response to his touch as he brought his hand through her hair.

Bringing his other hand to her cheek, he felt the wet of her tears upon his skin and slightly deepened his caress upon her lips.

It was slow but earnest as their lips moved in unison and Inoue lifted one hand to rest timidly against his exposed chest, his skin smooth as alabaster against her touch.

He lowered his hand from her face and placed it over hers, holding it tightly against his chest.

As they slowly parted, they opened their eyes and briefly gazed at one another before Inoue raised her arms around the back of his head, pulling him forward.

His head rested against the base of her neck as she clutched him closely, her hands clinging to him as if she were afraid that he'd simply disappear if she were to let go.

Lifting his face as he wrapped his arms around her he straightened his posture, stimulating her to do the same. He grasped at her hair with one hand and held her securely about the waist with the other.

"I won't die…" he muttered quietly, "so long as you are alive."


	19. Vanishing and Nameless

Chapter XIX

Vanishing and Nameless

"_Never did anybody look so sad. Bitter and black, halfway down, in the darkness, in the shaft which ran from the sunlight to the depths, perhaps a tear formed; a tear fell; the waves swayed this way and that, received it, and were at rest. Never did anybody look so sad."_

― _Virginia Woolf_

* * *

><p>Inoue awoke with a strange foreboding feeling lingering within the recesses of her heart. Looking over to Ulquiorra, however, that feeling subsided to only a faint semblance of its former self. A wave of tranquility encompassed her as she smiled at his sleeping form.<p>

Lifting a hand very, very slowly she reached up and moved a strand of hair away from where it had fallen over his eyes. He moved slightly and she feared he would wake for a moment before he regained his expression of ease.

Eyes falling to the tattooed number upon his still exposed chest, Inoue found herself contemplating over how cruel it was that each of the Espada were so defined by a mere symbol.

That single number did not comprise all that Ulquiorra was, not even in the slightest. His entire being could never be categorized into something so mediocre and shallow.

However, that was the nature of Hueco Mundo and Inoue felt her heart tug slightly as she reflected over what sort of life Ulquiorra had been through. It had been nothing compared to hers. He had never had a sibling, never had a friend, never had classmates or a group with which he could enjoy various activities. He had never known what it was like to exchange gifts on Christmas day or to walk along the beach on a warm summer afternoon…

The sound of music had never reached his ears, the sight of the glowing evening sun had never been his to behold, the feel of a crisp autumn wind had never touched him, and the scent of a cozy log fire had never filled his senses…

Inoue's feelings swelled and she instantly felt an almost overwhelming desire to make Ulquiorra experience every wonderful thing he possibly could. She wanted to show him all that she knew and enjoyed, wanted him to know what it was like to experience life to the fullest.

As she continued to watch him, Inoue smiled to herself and contented to simply pretend, as she often would, that they were in an entirely different place. A peaceful, happy, warm place where no one would ever harm them.

Feeling the slight ache of discomfort in her back, Inoue noticed for the first time since she had woken that she and Ulquiorra were still lying on the floor where they had fallen asleep after having sat against the wall for countless hours simply reveling in the empty silence. She had broken down in front of him after his fight with Nnoitra, and as she now thought of it she felt a flush rise in her cheeks at how pathetic she must've looked.

However, remembering the hint of emotion that had taken his expression and the way he had alleviated all of her sadness and fear Inoue felt a sensation of tenderness within her chest, though her blush did not disappear.

If her life happened to end tomorrow Inoue suddenly decided that she wouldn't mind so very much anymore. Ulquiorra had made her final days meaningful and memorable. He had showed her kindness that she had never expected and had become a part of her heart, one that she would always carry with her.

'_Thank you, Ulquiorra-kun,'_ she thought_, 'for everything.'_

Sitting up then, Inoue felt her face redden further as she leaned over him, her hair cascading all around him as she leaned forward with a flustered smile.

His eyes opened then and, upon seeing her, they observed her flushed face as he remained motionless beneath her gaze.

Bringing a hand to his face tentatively, Inoue closed her eyes and then placed a chaste kiss on his lips.

Pulling away, she brought a hand to her hair and tucked a strand behind her ear self-consciously.

Her hair continuing to fall all about him, Ulquiorra reached up and ran his hand through her tresses before he finally allowed it to rest against her face.

"How was your sleep?" He asked then.

Inoue impulsively started to tell him that her back ached a little but then decided that such a comment would only make him feel at fault, as was often the case with the overly cautious Espada.

"Wonderful, Ulquiorra-kun," Inoue replied with a wide smile and a hand against her head.

Lowering his hand, Ulquiorra slowly sat up before returning his gaze to Inoue.

"Are you hungry at all?"

Again, Inoue ignored her initial impulse to reply in the affirmative as she found herself not wanting him to leave just yet.

"Not right now," she replied with another smile, "I've only just woken up."

After a nod he appeared to be moderately content with her reply as he again gazed blankly at the wall across the room.

They sat in silence for awhile before Inoue moved closer to where he sat and leaned against him, resulting in he looking down to her with a slight widening of his eyes.

"Do you remember anything at all of the life you had before becoming hollow?"

He continued to look at her without expression before finally closing his eyes and turning his head away slightly, "I don't. My very first memory is waking here in Hueco Mundo and seeing many other beasts devouring lesser creatures. I didn't understand it at first but the true nature of things slowly started to become clear."

"It must have been so awful," Inoue replied softly with an underlying tone of sadness.

Individuals were turned into hollow if they held onto any sort of regret within the world of living. What had happened to Ulquiorra in his past life that had doomed him to such an existence in the present?

It wasn't fair, none of it was. Why was acceptance the only way for one to pass on without being turned into a mindless creature of the dark? Why were the Shinigami the only mediators between Soul Society and the living world? Why were people doomed to wander through the streets as ghosts until the reprieve of the Zanpakuto? If a Shinigami did not grant peace, why then would a majority be subject to hollow and devoured into nothing?

Even so, Soul Society wasn't any better. The souls beyond the walls of Seiretei lived poor, lowly lives and were forced to accept being separated from their family members.

Who then, would not hold attachments to the world of the living in light of a far less fulfilling existence afterwards?

Inoue sadly looked to her hands which were folded tightly in her lap. There had to be more to life, of that she was entirely certain.

"It _was _awful…" Ulquiorra looked to her then and as she lifted her gaze to his he leaned towards her, "but since you came along I no longer feel as if I have absolutely nothing at all."

Inoue flushed at that and her heart began to beat a little faster. It suddenly occurred to her then that life was always worth living when you had others to share your soul with. It was in that circumstance, and only then, that one could really feel what it was like to be living up to the true potential of one's unique existence.

Ulquiorra was unique, and she was also. There would never be a single soul that could substitute the place they held within time. There would never be an exact duplicate of either one of them.

Inoue smiled up at him, her face glowing with the serenity brought by the realization of the true meaning behind the seemingly cruel circle of life.

"Are you happy, Ulquiorra-kun?"

"I cannot say for certain," he replied, "but it does seem that what I might feel is something similar to that."

"That's good," Inoue replied, "Because I so very much want you to be happy."

He eyed her wordlessly for awhile before closing eyes, "I'm not human, Inoue, despite how greatly you wish me to be."

"I don't want you to be any different," Inoue replied with a small smile before looking to her hands again, "I've finally decided that you don't have to be more human or anything like that. I want Ulquiorra-kun to stay exactly the same."

She returned her gaze to him, "but what I wish more than anything is that you will stay happy and that you will someday experience life the way it's supposed to be."

"How can you say what life is supposed to be?"

Inoue lifted a hand to his chest, to where his heart should have been.

"Because of the way I feel."

He sighed and opened his eyes as he lifted a hand to cover hers.

"That is the most defining difference between us," he met her gaze, "the depth of your emotions is incomparable to the very slight existence of my own."

"Then I am happy," Inoue smiled once more, "because you have already come so far from not feeling anything at all."

He did not respond, simply regarded her almost inquisitively.

"You see," she continued, "even the way you look at me is different than before."

How had she come to so completely understand him in such a short time? It was both compelling and unnerving to the Espada as he continued to watch her without reply.

"I've never known anyone like you," Inoue flushed slightly as she looked down to her hands, "and to think that I was so scared of you in the beginning."

"So you _were _scared, at a time?"

Nodding, Inoue continued to avert her eyes, "Yes, I also felt very alone. I didn't know how I was going to make it through everything." Her blush reddened, "but then you were always there and I slowly started to feel a connection with you, one I still don't even fully understand…"

"It was never my intent to comfort you or anything," Ulquiorra responded, "I completely despised you, as you were something that, even in the beginning, I could not even faintly comprehend."

He lifted a hand to her hair, "you have always eluded me, woman. Nothing and no one has ever bewildered me to such an infuriating extent."

He leaned slightly towards her as she brought her eyes to his, the scarlet radiating from her face.

"Likewise, you are different from anyone I've ever encountered." His words caressed her heart as his hand did the same through her crimson tresses.

Inoue sat motionless within his gaze before slowly lifting her hand from his chest to his face, where she allowed it to gently rest.

He then mimicked her action by bringing both hands to the sides of her face where he paused a moment before leaning forward to bring his lips to hers.

She closed her eyes as the kiss filled her, still not knowing why it always made her feel so namelessly elated.

There was also something else, something different. It almost felt as if a certain haunt was lurking and lying in wait…in wait of that which remained indiscernible.

The embrace of their lips was soothing and perplexing, as it always was. However, within that there was also another brand new feeling, one that almost felt desperate.

His hands lowered from her face and through her hair before they finally settled around her back where they tightened and drew her closer.

Inoue also lifted her hand and then brought both her arms around his neck where she clutched at the sleek, dark strands of his hair.

Heart pounding as she continued to respond to the stimulation of his lips over hers, Inoue focused only on the realization that for the very first time, she wanted to be nowhere else but in the arms of the fourth Espada.

He couldn't focus or speculate on anything outside of the feel of her soft embrace and the surge of accompanying sensations that coursed anew within his veins like fire.

As their lips parted, He looked to her as she slowly opened her eyes to meet his, their proximity still close.

He observed the faint flush of her cheeks, and the way her eyes gleamed with the many emotions she always felt.

"Let's run away from here, Ulquiorra-kun," she stated suddenly and breathlessly.

His eyes widened at her statement and the arms that surrounded her frame tensed slightly.

"What?"

Her gaze inspired and excited, she continued, "we don't have to stay, we can go back to my world or soul society and the hougyoku will never be restored and we can finally stay together."

"I…" as he watched her his confliction grew and his mind was instantly sent into a turmoil that he had never before been familiar.

"I would never be able to exist in such a way," he replied, "and I-" he closed his eyes, "I can't betray Aizen."

Her hold loosening and the glimmer dissipating, Inoue regarded him silently a moment, "can't betray Aizen? But you're so very intelligent, Ulquiorra-kun, can't you see that he is deceiving everyone?"

When he didn't respond she continued, lowering her eyes, "you said you didn't want me to die…if we stay, Aizen will definitely have me killed…"

"Then," he responded, looking to her, "if that is truly the case I will help you to escape from here but I will not follow. I must stay; there is no other choice for someone like me. I don't belong in your world."

Though he had voiced the words, Ulquiorra suddenly found that he would be incapable of sending her away. Now that he had her within his grasp he never wanted to release her. If it came down to her life being threatened, then he was determined to do all he could to prevent that from happening, whilst continuing to have her stay with him.

Inoue heard his statement but recognized in his eyes an entirely different resolve, and it somewhat unnerved her.

Had she become nothing but a possession to Ulquiorra, one that he was now prepared to forever hold onto within the inescapable vice of his custody?

Then, all at once, that which she had seen retracted behind the walls of his façade, leaving only a trace of its former power.

He immediately released her and pulled away, his eyes suddenly wide as they regarded her.

Then raising a hand to his head, he shut his eyes and tried to regain his composure.

Inoue looked to him, entirely perplexed and altogether unsure of what to think.

As he continued within his conflicted state, she felt suddenly compelled and tentatively neared him.

Hand hovering over his head she paused and looked again to the four branded upon his skin, marking him for what he was created to do.

Closing her eyes she lowered her hand and clutched tightly at her skirt. What was she to do now? She cared for him but, after seeing his expression a moment ago she was left to wonder if his curiosity and new emotions had led him astray, thus morphing into something fiercer.

Inoue knew very well that the most innocent of feelings could easily turn into the darkest and most unloving of all, as had been the case with her brother.

She partly blamed herself, also, for instilling the potential within him.

He rose then, his hands returning to his pockets and his eyes locked on her kneeling figure.

"I have to go; Aizen is summoning all of the Espada."

Inoue did not lift her gaze to him, simply continued to look down at her hands, as she remembered how they had felt within his silken, black tresses.

He turned and slowly began to make his way to the door.

"Ul-" she began in a whisper, to no avail.

The foreboding feeling had returned, as soon as he mentioned Aizen's gathering. Something was about to take place, and Inoue was wary to discover what that was.

Above all, she suddenly realized that she still didn't want the Espada to leave her.

Yes, he had looked to her with some sort of controlling desire but she could not damn him for a moment of weakness. How was she to know that he always felt such a way? Who was she to condemn someone who didn't even understand what was going on within his own mind?

Standing numbly, all Inoue wanted in that moment was to stop Ulquiorra from walking out the door and allowing whatever lurked in the shadows to take form within reality.

She was scared, not of him, but of the prospect of being without him.

There was still time for her to help guide his feelings toward what was still pure and good.

As his hand reached for the knob, Inoue rushed towards him without a second thought.

Arms outstretched, she wrapped them around his torso as her body collided into his from behind.

Her hands grasped at his chest, as he altogether halted with eyes wide and form stilled.

"Don't go, Ulquiorra-kun, please don't go," she pleaded, her eyes tearing slightly as she pressed herself closer against his back.

He inclined his head down towards her, his hand falling from the door and resting limp at his side.

"Don't leave me," she whispered, then deciding that even if he were to decide to allow her to escape, that she wouldn't want to be without him.

At that second in time, they lingered upon the edge of a blade, with everything residing upon what his answer would be.

They stood that way for several moments before he finally averted his eyes and lowered his head, "I don't have a choice, woman."

The second passed then, and Inoue subsequently withdrew her arms and stood meekly behind him, a single tear falling down her face.

It still appeared that, despite everything, she had not replaced Aizen within the Espada's mind.

He turned and allowed his gaze to rest upon her, his mouth parting as he observed the tear on her face.

"What is it you are so frightened of?"

"I don't know," Inoue replied, "I just feel that when you walk out that door, something is going to happen."

The aura around them seemed to steadily vanish as the clock continued to progress towards an inevitable end.

"Inoue," he replied, casting aside his perplexity from earlier as he lifted a hand to trace the stain her tear had left upon her face, "you look sad to me."

Inoue couldn't help but smile as the memory of the first time she had touched his face returned to her.

Within his eyes then, she saw not a trace of darkness but a gentleness he rarely allowed to show.

"I still want you to myself," he admitted, seeming to accept his confusing feelings, "but I can say that I would never allow that to conflict with who you essentially are, and with destroying the amount of emotions of which you are comprised."

Inoue couldn't reply, only nodded as her eyes continued to moisten.

"If I should return changed, hold onto this moment," he stated, "even if the entire world falls apart, as it may very well."

He lowered his hand, "I can't honestly say that I will not lay a hand on any of those you care for should this ordeal turn into a battle to the death, but I'll have you know that nothing I do will be meant to harm you, or to inflict tears where your smile belongs."

He leaned forward and softly kissed her, his caress smooth and unhurried.

She closed her eyes in response, trying to reach out to his feelings before it was too late.

However, as he pulled away and she finally opened her eyes, he was already disappearing beyond the door, leaving fate to commence as it willed.

It was then that Inoue felt the suddenly overpowering swell of reiatsu that had breached the barrier of the world she resided within, while also placing an impenetrable seal over her dreams of a perfect and untarnished reality.


	20. Corroding Vibrancy

Chapter XX

Corroding Vibrancy

_This darkened street you go to hide._

_Illuminates you are not mine._

_These tears run cold, my body numb._

_I am not whole, what have you done?_

_It all makes sense, the disconnect._

_Too many words we left unsaid._

_But still I stare frozen here._

_Until the curtains close._

_-Emmy Rossum_

* * *

><p>"Invaders have entered our realm," Aizen began as his eyes drifted to Ulquiorra, "as some of you no doubt have noticed."<p>

Ulquiorra did not look to him, simply gazed passively at the wall to the other side of the room.

"Eh?" Nnoitra asked with a widening grin, "who are they?"

The ten Espada sat around a long table with Aizen at the head, his two Shinigami followers standing on either side of the only exit.

After a heavy pause, Aizen placed one hand beneath his chin and looked to his left, "Kaname, the projector please."

As the blind attendant flipped a brazen switch in the wall a blue, holographic light rose from the center of the table.

The image depicted was of three young men, rushing across the sands of Hueco Mundo, one in particular catching the attention of everyone in the room.

Ulquiorra's gaze widened ever so slightly and from beside him Grimmjow leaned forward suddenly and leered at the image of the orange-haired Shinigami substitute.

"Kurosaki Ichigo, along with two of his friends infiltrated the 22nd fortress and have already defeated the guardians there," Aizen cast his eyes upon the face of each of his subordinates, "I will only say this: do not take them lightly."

They were silent following his remark before Grimmjow abruptly stood and slammed both his hands on the table, his eyes ruthlessly set on his prey.

Ulquiorra's eyes briefly looked to the sixth Espada, once again annoyed by the reactions of the lower rank.

Grimmjow turned then and began to make his way to the door, ignoring the glance Aizen had sent his way.

When he reached Kaname, however, the Shinigami stopped him.

"Take your seat," the man commanded.

"Tch," Grimmjow replied only.

"Jaggerjacques," came Aizen's silky voice, "I have not finished. Do as Kaname has instructed."

The atmosphere turned instantly tense as the overpowering infliction of Aizen's reiatsu rose and lashed out at the Espada behind him.

Grimmjow grimaced as he sauntered forward before falling to his knees.

Though Ulquiorra had always despised the sixth Espada and recognized that his abilities were far beneath his own, something about the way Aizen had so effortlessly forced the man to kneel was both unnerving and strangely despicable.

Since when had he ever looked to the actions of his superior in such a way?

Closing his eyes then, he turned his attention away from the scene, unable to gaze upon it any longer.

For some reason, his over-calculating mind and honed powers of perception caused him to wonder at what Aizen's true intentions for Inoue had been. Had he all along desired the outcome of her friends coming to rescue her, despite the charade of making her out to be a traitor? Had her entire capture been a game? A lure to the orange-haired teen he was strangely keen on observing?

Clenching a concealed fist within his pocket, something about his observation instilled a surprising feeling of resentment.

Inoue Orihime was never meant to restore the hougyoku; that had never been the plan. She was as unimportant to the grand scheme of things as the lower ranked Arrancars that slaved for them.

She was nothing but a means for enjoyment to the man who sat leering down at he and all the rest of the Espada.

Ulquiorra didn't like being deceived, and he equally detested the fact that Inoue had been used and her emotions played upon in such a callous manner.

However, of one thing he was entirely certain.

As his eyes returned and settled upon the substitute Shinigami, his resolve deepened. He was never going to allow Aizen, Kurosaki Ichigo, or anyone else take Inoue away from him. She was _his_ for as long as she continued to breath, and he was going to ensure that she remained doing so.

"I order all of you to remain as you are, and continue living normally. Do not go after the intruders; just continue to act as if they had never arrived." Aizen concluded then with a smirk, "The four of them were once titled "_ryoku_" by Soul Society as they invaded Seiretei and overcame every single Shinigami they encountered, including those of the Captain class."

"Four?" Stark asked then, "who was the fourth?"

Ulquiorra knew the answer before he heard her name contemptibly announced from Aizen's lips.

"Orihime Inoue."

"So…" Hallibel responded, "They've come to rescue their friend."

Though Aizen did not seem to recognize the underlying admiration within her voice, Ulquiorra _did_ and he detested it. Inoue was better off without her friends, she was better off with _him_.

No one else spoke and when Aizen finally rose to leave he looked to them all with a forced expression of pride, "we are very close to our ultimate goal. Do not lose sight of it."

He then looked to Ulquiorra and, catching his fourth's gaze smirked almost spitefully. "Tell her."

The Espada's eyes widened once his superior turned and ascended the stairs to exist, the two Shinigami captain's following his lead.

His eyes fell on Grimmjow who was now slowly standing, his face set into one that harbored disdain.

The Sixth then, after catching Ulquiorra's unreadable glance, abruptly turned and left the room.

Stark rose and moved to follow suit, announcing that he was going back to bed.

Nnoitra's eyes slithered to Ulquiorra then, "so, how was last night? She take care of you after your humiliating defeat?"

Eyes narrowing, Ulquiorra simply glared without responding. The confusing wrath churned within him as his mind fell deeper within the complexity of everything he had to consider. He found himself unable, and undetermined to satiate the conflict Nnoitra so apparently desired to instill.

Rising, hands in pockets, Ulquiorra turned to leave as he closed his eyes.

Nnoitra grinned and then suddenly said something that caused a new wave of confliction to waft over Ulquiorra.

"As soon as you tell her that the friends she's so longed to reunite with have arrived to rescue her, she will want nothing more to do with you." The fifth Espada smirked cruelly, "you aren't going to mean shit to her after that. You can never compare to them."

All eyes looked to Ulquiorra then, but only Hallibel's saw the very slight trace of brokenness that had overcome his form.

He turned and, looking to Nnoitra and the others guardedly with a very practiced expression that was absent of any feeling, responded "Why should I care about something like that? What makes you think I give a damn what that creature thinks of me?"

Thus saying, the fourth Espada resumed his exit and felt the eyes of all the occupants continuing to seemingly bore through his skin and into his soul, where he desperately tried to hide a sudden, strange constriction of his insides.

He found himself now dreading what Inoue's response would be once he told her about the arrival of her comrades. Had he miscalculated how close she was to them? To _him_?

As he rose a hand to open her cell door, his hold lingered upon the handle for an immeasurable amount of time. The air felt heavy as he recognized the familiar reiatsu of her comrades pulsing through it with startling determination. Every second drew them nearer to Las Noches, to her. Every second brought closer the possibility of her deciding to leave his side for theirs.

He wanted to make himself believe that she would remain unchanged and that, given the choice, she would decide to remain with him in Hueco Mundo. However, he was never one to delude himself. She despised this world and so obviously longed for her own. He knew what she was really thinking every time her eyes would glaze over with sweet sadness as her memories of the past invaded her heart.

And he all along knew that she was irreversibly in love with the Shinigami substitute, Kurosaki Ichigo. Each time she voiced his name, the sound would fill his soul with a dark and strange loathing.

What was the name for such an emotion?

Then, all at once he knew. Of course. It was called _jealousy_.

Inoue had spoken of it once, very briefly. She had relayed a story of two friends who both had feelings for the same man, and that jealously was how one felt when the man chose the other.

He then speculated that she might have been talking of herself.

Recognizing the way he felt, Ulquiorra felt an unwanted feeling of accomplishment, while also feeling a continued brooding, darkness within his mind. She had already brought him so far from what he had been, closer to what she was.

What was the point of it all if she was just going to cast him aside?

He grasped the handle tighter as his resolve from earlier returned.

No, none of that mattered. Ichigo arriving did not change a thing. Inoue belonged to him still, and he was not going to let her go.

Shoving open the door, he found her as he often did. Back turned and gazing to the window, the light of the moon surrounding her magnificently, her scarlet hair reflecting all the vibrancies of the world.

She looked to him then, her eyes filled with questions and her face anxious as to what the answers to those inquiries would be.

He tried to summon the appropriate words but found that he could not even utter a single letter. He stood frozen within her gaze, not wanting to experience what was sure to ensue.

Despite his resolve, he found himself continuing to cringe in apprehension of her reaction.

He was altogether ashamed of himself. He felt so despicably…weak.

His anger surmounting at his own flaws, Ulquiorra decided then to follow through with what he had been ordered to inform her of.

However, before the words could escape him, her soft and gentle voice completely eradicated all trace of wrath.

"Ulquiorra-kun," she said, turning to face him fully, "what is it?"

The way she said his name always instilled the same overwhelming warmth and he found his entrails constricting as they had just moments ago. It was somehow…painful.

"I," he began, his voice catching before he steadied it, determined to move past his own subjugation.

"I have news to report."

Inoue waited, her heart pounding as she gazed upon his seemingly passive face. However, she was able to look beyond that and recognize the faint trace of unease within his eyes.

"Your friends," he replied slowly, carefully, eying her face intently, "have invaded Hueco Mundo."

She went numb as her eyes widened in response. Her….friends….Ichigo?

The only thing she could say was, "why?"

"Why else?" Was his reply, "In order to save you."

Closing his eyes as hers glistened and wavered, he continued, "They don't have any other reason."

Her emotions were steadily escalating and her mind began to grow confused, as she tried to make sense of what was being said to her. "In order to save me?"

"That's right," he responded.

'_Kurosaki-kun is…here?' _Inoue felt the familiar feelings for the Shinigami beginning to seep back into her heart, where she had previously suppressed them. It seemed she hadn't completely gotten over him after all.

Ulquiorra opened his eyes to see the gleam he detested most within hers. She was thinking of him. She was thinking of that Shinigami.

His dark feelings at once returned.

Briefly, very briefly, he entertained the idea of crossing the distance between them and holding her within his arms, asking her to remain with him. However, that notion quickly faded as he instead regarded her with a feeling that resembled loathing.

"But that shouldn't matter to you anymore." He replied coldly, casting all of his resentment into her soul.

"Your body and mind belong to…us now. That's what it meant…" he allowed his eyes to travel along the dress she wore, "when you put on that uniform, Inoue Orihime."

'_That's what it meant with every touch from you and within every time you spoke my name so enticingly…' _He pondered as his calculating eyes continued to observe her.

"I want to hear you say it," Ulquiorra continued, simply because he suddenly found a desire to taunt her further, "why do your mind and body exist?"

Inoue's glance then momentarily instilled something unrecognizable within him, something he had never before felt. He could not name what it was but it caused him to feel overwhelming shame.

Her eyes were hard and distant, but altogether strong and entirely confident. "Yes," she replied, "the only purpose of my existence is to dutifully adhere to all that Aizen-sama desires of me, through you, Ulquiorra Cifer."

The way she said his name then only further deepened the confusing feeling that was beginning to suffocate his soul. She had said it so formally that it felt somehow cold and remote.

He found himself unable to stand within her presence for another laborious moment.

Regarding her briefly and feeling as if he had destroyed any chance he had at holding onto her, Ulquiorra then turned and slowly left the room, allowing the door to close behind him.

Inoue watched him go, before shakily stepping back and leaning against the wall, beneath the window and away from the light.

It was as if the last month had never happened. Her conversation with the Espada had at once returned to how they had regarded one another when she first arrived in Las Noches.

Bringing a hand to her chest, she wondered for whom it was beating now.

Ichigo had come to rescue her and Ulquiorra had entirely demeaned her to the level of a slave.

The answer was obvious to her and she closed her eyes. She wanted to show the Espada all that her world was waiting to offer him but, her feelings for Ichigo were so deeply rooted that she wondered if those emotions ever really had the potential to belong to anyone else. How silly was she to believe Ulquiorra could be the keeper of her heart like that?

Touching her lips, she marveled that her first kiss had been shared with the Espada and also on how easily he always made her blush. Those were just reactions and impulses though, and she was left to contemplate over how connected those moments were to her heart.

She cared for him, that was something undeniable, as well as the fact that she still didn't want to see him hurt and that he had made her moments in Hueco Mundo wonderful. He had done many thoughtful things for her and sometimes glanced at her in ways that made her feel as she never had before.

However, in spite of all that, the way she had felt for him was nothing compared to the love she felt for Ichigo and her admiration for everything that he was.

What exactly Ulquiorra was to her, was something she still could not identify. That was something as completely mysterious as the Espada himself. Something best left within the shadowed realm of her soul, something never to allow infiltration into the world she belonged to or to allow presence amidst the lives of all her friends.

Her seemingly bleak future had now widened and begun to potentially stretch toward a distant horizon, with death far and prolonged.

How could she refuse an opportunity to return to what she desired more than anything? Mere hours ago she had felt like she belonged nowhere else than with Ulquiorra and had speculated that she would never be able to leave him. However, upon being presented with the choice, she surmised that her earlier resolution had been entirely wrong.

It was not her duty to save the Espada; he would have to make that choice himself.

Her life was her own and did not, and would never, belong to anyone else.

With that thought came a sudden accompanying fear for the lives of her friends. Ulquiorra and the other Espada were so unbelievably strong and there was no way a fight could be avoided upon invasion of the fortress.

She then faintly wished they had never come. She had been relatively happy in her delusions with the Espada and her life would've ended swiftly without the pain of loss.

Within her heart, she felt, for the first time, true, clarified empathy toward Ulquiorra as his words filled her mind and soul.

"_I was content in the simplicity of my emptiness…" _

She was now able to relate to that as now all feelings of contentment began to corrode with every second that ticked by on the hand of the clock.

'_Everyone…you shouldn't have come…'_

A tear slipped down her cheek, _'Please…be safe….'_


	21. Solitary Path

Chapter XXI

Solitary Path

_There is no greater sorrow than to recall in misery the time when we were happy._

_- Dante_

* * *

><p>Ulquiorra stood in his chambers, eyes set on the window beyond which he viewed the sands of Hueco Mundo. They were out there, drawing closer.<p>

It had only been a day since the arrival of Inoue's friends, and since his last encounter with the woman he had not returned to her cell.

Clutching a hand, he closed his eyes and attempted to cast all thoughts of her aside.

However, the image of her hair, billowing within the sunlight from the other day and the smile she had reserved only for him continued to plague upon every vision within his mind.

He felt an unusual longing to feel upon his hand her skin, soft as it was, and to run his fingers through the scarlet tresses he had come to intensely admire.

Angry with the woman for choosing her comrades, yet still holding onto the allure she had instilled within him, the Espada was both frustrated and confused.

It did not matter that she couldn't escape him, for if she no longer desired his presence it was an empty victory, of which he took no pride.

He never thought it possible that his disposition and entire existence could arrive at such a point. He was completely weak and entirely different from what he once had been.

He found himself resenting Inoue for that.

He was ashamed of himself for allowing her to infiltrate his soul and mesmerize his mind to such an extent.

She had seemed happy with him, but he also knew that her emotions resided at different levels, of which she was not always aware.

Kurosaki Ichigo arriving in Hueco Mundo had reminded her of all she had once felt, and in doing so, her feelings for himself had been eclipsed and forgotten.

Were feelings really as unreliable as that, or was it simply due to her whimsical nature?

Ulquiorra hardly knew, as emotional experience was still a brand new concept to him.

However, the one consoling fact about the entire ordeal was that her friends would not survive for long. Already, Nnoitra and Grimmjow were readying themselves for a confrontation with the intruders.

They would not serve as a hindrance to he and Inoue much longer.

He had to wonder if things would ever be the same between them though, even after all of that.

There was something so remotely despicable about the darkness that had consumed his soul. He detested in it and…reveled in it.

He far preferred the warmth and light that she had previously instilled, and found himself longing for that with surprising intensity.

Again, he felt tempted to rush to her and hold her within his arms, to stand in such a way for the entirety of eternity. He recognized his desire as one of the only actions he still had that could potentially redeem him within her eyes.

However, the darkness was so overpowering that it denied him even that. He hungered to make her feel the same pain she had inflicted over him.

Turning from the window, Ulquiorra opened his door and stepped into the hall, casting his eyes briefly in the direction that would bring him to her.

Faltering but a moment, he abruptly turned and ventured opposite, intent to focus his mind and reclaim all control of himself before seeing her next.

She was _his_ prisoner and yet he felt as if it were the one with his hands shackled.

None of it made any sense.

Despite his resolve for revenge over her, and the desire to wash his hands of her image, he still knew, if she were to reach out to him, that he would break and reach right back.

Detesting his own flaws most of all, Ulquiorra again clenched a fist within his pocket.

He briefly wondered at where his steps were leading him before returning to his own contemplations.

Lost within his turmoil, Ulquiorra wondered at his own existence, and the meaning of.

He had been made to observe and destroy and yet…Inoue believed it was his true calling to protect.

Something about that had triggered a reaction deep within, as if pulling at a memory that was no longer there. Had it something to do with his long forgotten, human past?

So many strange occurrences within his core had been inflicted, and all at her hand.

The resentment grew.

Placing a hand upon the door he had arrived at, Ulquiorra hesitated momentarily before pushing it open and allowing the sunlight to engulf him.

Stepping out onto the terrace, he closed his eyes and pictured her standing there in front of him, as she had mere days ago.

He saw all the colors the sun instilled within her enticing strands, as the wind danced through and caressed both her and all that he was.

Opening his eyes then, he gazed out at Las Noches and beyond, as the wind continued to surround him, billowing through his coat and dark tresses.

The same dark tresses Inoue had described as _'beautiful.'_

Stepping to the ledge, and the railing parallel, Ulquiorra looked to the ground far below.

'_Will you jump with me?' _Her voice echoed within his mind and throughout his entire core.

Closing his eyes another moment, he allowed the air to fill his lungs before placing a hand firmly upon the banister and subsequently flinging himself over and downward, the wind rushing past his ears as the adrenaline filled his being.

He imagined she was still there, held securely within his embrace, a grin gracing her features and her heart pounding spellbindingly within her chest.

It was the first positive experience he had enjoyed since before the entire ordeal of Inoue and her comrades.

Opening his gaze and appropriately repositioning himself within the descent, he landed upon the ground gracefully.

Looking to the terrace high above, Ulquiorra pictured Inoue falling, as Nnoitra had threatened, and at how a fall like that would've broken every bone in her body. He also marveled that he had not even hesitated a moment before moving to protect her and that it wasn't simply for Aizen's sake that he had done so.

"Jumping from great heights now, are we?"

He looked to the owner of the voice and tensed slightly upon spotting Hallibel leisurely leaning against the wall opposite.

Of all the Espada, she seemed most able to decipher his actions and thoughts.

Opening her eyes, she regarded him with detachment a moment before her gaze softened.

He looked away, unable to hold such a blatant emotional stare.

"You're different, Ulquiorra," she voiced, "It's a shame it had to end up this way."

"What are you speaking of?" he replied flatly.

With a sigh, the woman closed her eyes. "I won't elaborate; you know what I'm referring to."

Ulquiorra's eyes drifted downward, to the gravel beneath his feet, his gaze unfocused and removed.

"You're actually more frightening this way," she continued, "before there was never a chance of you acting out or against Aizen but…" she looked to him and his downcast expression, "that's changed. You have an emotionally darkened aura surrounding you."

He clenched a fist, "it's all _her_ doing. She did this to me."

"You allowed her to," Hallibel replied simply.

And that, more than anything, was what plagued him most.

He lifted his eyes to her, feeling belittled and detesting that realization.

He observed her another a moment before turning to walk away, his head lowered and his shoulders slumped only slightly but enough for Hallibel to see that he was more vulnerable than she had ever seen him.

She didn't like viewing Ulquiorra in such a state.

He continued his trek to nowhere in particular as the sand exfoliated his skin and the sun attempted to pierce into his shadowed existence.

Far ahead he spotted Nnoitra, perched and awaiting the arrival of the intruders. Ulquiorra quickly took a different path so as to avoid an unnecessary, and sure to be frustrating, conversation.

However, the man he next encountered was far from an improvement.

Luck, it seemed, was not on his side as of late.

"Why so down, Cuatro-san?"

"Grimmjow," Ulquiorra closed his eyes, altogether halting his footsteps.

The sixth Espada leisurely lay atop a wall, his arms crossed and his face skyward.

When Ulquiorra remained unresponsive, the cerulean locked man turned his head to smirk down at him, "What? You're not going to confide in your best pal?"

Ulquiorra opened his eyes and looked to him absently, "your delusions astound me."

"Ha!" Grimmjow replied before jumping down and landing in front of the other Espada, his grin widening. "No more than yours continuously annoy the hell outta _me_!"

"I have no delusions," Ulquiorra responded.

"Well, well," Grimmjow crossed his arms. "Now ain't that just the biggest load a'shit I've ever heard!"

"Is there something you want to say?"

"Hmm," Grimmjow replied, bringing a hand to his chin in thought, "there was one thing…let's see…" he then snapped his fingers loudly, "aah, yes!"

Ulquiorra continued to simply stare up at his subordinate unreceptively.

The smile faded as Grimmjow tilted his head to one side, though the malice remained within his gaze, "just wanted to letcha know that I don't appreciate the fact that you've gone soft," he glared, "as a matter of fact I find it quite disgraceful."

Ulquiorra's eyes widened ever so slightly, but the final blow came from Grimmjow's next words.

"Since when did you become so _human_?"

Recovering from the debilitating contemplation that Grimmjow's words had any merit, Ulquiorra looked away. "You don't understand me in the slightest; do not presume that you have the right to speak such things."

"Argh!" Grimmjow replied, "You've got to be the most aggravating individual I've ever had to put up with!"

"Likewise," Ulquiorra replied with a glare.

Silence fell between them before Grimmjow suddenly tilted his head to one side, "what exactly is it about her that intrigues you so much?"

And for some unknown reason, Ulquiorra replied as if it weren't really Grimmjow who was listening. "Everything."

Grimmjow's eyes widened then, not expecting such a response before he shook his head, "I was hoping you'd say it was merely physical attraction or perhaps some insane scientific obsession, I could've handled either of those but…" he then looked to Ulquiorra as if he were nothing more than a particle of dust, insignificant and no longer worthy of respect, "it's not either of those, is it?"

Ulquiorra turned to go, hands buried deeply within his pockets, "no, it's not."

Thus saying, he once again continued to walk down the solitary path that would lead him away from the comrades who no longer saw him the same.

He could not blame them however, for he knew that he had been irreversibly changed.

* * *

><p>Inoue sat against the wall, fingers held to her lips and the other arm holding her knees tightly against her chest.<p>

She had been awake for hours, simply staring into empty space.

Recognizing that she had never wanted to lose Ulquiorra completely, Inoue wished he would enter so that she could try and recover a semblance of their relationship, if that was even what one could call it.

It had most likely hurt him somehow, seeing that she still longed for Ichigo. However, Inoue could not deny what her heart truly wanted.

She would never be able to belong to Ulquiorra the same way she desired to be with Ichigo.

Despite herself however, as her eyes looked to her hand, the memory of Ulquiorra's silken strands remained, and seemed to haunt her.

Likewise, was the feeling of his lips, still lingering upon hers and the sound of his voice, saying her name so gently she could hardly believe it was him uttering it.

Closing her eyes she pictured again the moment he had led her to the terrace, showing her the sunlight and gazing upon her as if she were the one thing he existed for.

A tear slipped down her cheek as she recalled how she had clutched him, begging him not to leave yesterday, for fear of losing him…

Opening her eyes then, she shook her head.

'_No! I shouldn't be thinking these things!'_

Holding a hand to her heart, she concentrated. '_Kurosaki-kun…Kurosaki-kun…Kurosaki-kun…'_

The chant alleviated the images within her mind somewhat, leaving but one, which had imprinted itself irrevocably.

That expression of ease Ulquiorra had worn when she glanced to him upon the terrace, that expression that had at one time given her so much hope as to his future, and of him finding the happiness she believed he deserved.

Why was it she could not seem to reprieve her mind of that one moment, of that point in time where she had believed they undeniably belonged together, despite everything?

How was it that she still could not erase the confusing and unnamable feelings she continued to hold for Ulquiorra?

'_I'm in love with Kurosaki-kun,' _Inoue continued to recite to herself, though no matter how many times his name crossed her mind, it did not bring with it all that it had once comprised.

Another name threatened to overshadow it….


	22. Foreign and Familiar

**A/N: **I do not own anything from Bleach, nor any of the brilliant characters of Tite Kubo. The next few chapters hold some direct excerpts from the anime and so I felt it was time to add this disclaimer :)

Chapter XXII

Foreign and Familiar

"_Why does the eye see a thing more clearly in dreams than the imagination when awake?"_

_- Leonardo da Vinci _

* * *

><p>As Ulquiorra stepped out into the hall the following day, he spotted Nnoitra eagerly making his way towards the exit, his scythe clutched within his hand and his subordinate dutifully following.<p>

Quickly making his way over to the pair, the fourth Espada stopped as they turned.

"Whatcha want?" Nnoitra asked with a glare, "we're in a bit of a hurry."

"Hurry?" Ulquiorra asked, "I was just going to inquire upon why that was so."

"Not that it's any of your damn business," the other replied, "but my prey has been spotted and I'm 'bout to make my way out to 'im."

"Aizen told us to wait, did he not?"

"Ha!" Nnoitra replied, "as if I were listening to something like that."

It was Kurosaki, Ulquiorra knew, and within his being he felt elated that the man would no longer continue to breathe or serve as a threat to taking Inoue. However, as he thought of the woman, and at how she was going to handle the news of the man's death, he felt a strange sort of dread, one he altogether resented.

"I will not stop you then," Ulquiorra replied only before turning and continuing in the opposite direction, intent to patiently wait for the moment in which he would no longer feel the suffocating reiatsu of the substitute Shinigami.

Closing his eyes, he pictured it, the crimson staining the sand, and the lifeless eyes of the one who he somehow detested more than anything he had ever known.

Clutching a hand, Ulquiorra opened his eyes and allowed his steps to carry him forward, until he arrived at her cell. Lingering but a moment beyond her door, and gazing absently as if he were somehow able to pierce through and see her form beyond the walls, Ulquiorra felt a strong, and now familiar, compulsion to thrust open the door and hold her.

He both longed and ached to see her, with every fiber of his being. However, as he turned, he knew he was not ready. It was absolutely vital that he did not break in front of her, and allow all of his weaker feelings to consume and overpower him, bringing him figuratively, to his knees, before her.

There was no way that woman was going to best him.

* * *

><p>Inoue lifted her eyes to the door when she felt the familiar presence of Ulquiorra beyond. She did not know when she had become so aware of it, but now it was all she could do not to allow that presence to overcome her.<p>

Continuing to gaze at the door, and wishing she could see through walls, she waited in baited breath to see if he would enter.

However, as his presence faded, she released the oxygen held within her lungs and allowed her eyes to drift downward.

She felt both relieved and disappointed.

Leaning her bead back, Inoue closed her eyes and tried to envision a better place. She returned to her field but now, no matter how hard she tried, that paradise was shrouded by shadow. Grey clouds infiltrated the sky and the air was no longer warm but debilitating cold. Yes, it truly did represent her heart, in all its entirety.

Then, as her heart jumped, she felt a rise in the reiatsu of one of her friends and knew with certainty that he had entered into a battle. It was Sado-kun, and he was so very close in proximity to her, perhaps just beyond the walls that surrounded the cell in which she was confined. The realization tore her apart and she hoped, with all her might that he might somehow pull through.

Clutching the fabric over her chest tightly, Inoue fought the ache that throbbed with every heartbeat. She wanted to rush out and help him, yet knew she could do nothing. She had never before felt so entirely helpless.

Not recognizing the reiatsu of the one he was fighting, she concluded with relief that it wasn't one of the Espada.

However, upon that thought she also felt the slight rise in Rukia's spiritual pressure and couldn't help the sudden despair and fear that accompanied it. She was facing the ninth Espada; the one whom Ulquiorra had said possessed the power to appear as anything he wished.

Inoue rose from her spot on the floor and desperately looked to the window, wishing with all her soul that Rukia would hear the warning resounding within her mind.

Why? Why was all of this happening? What would she do if any one of them were to be killed, without her even being able to say a final farewell?

And if all of them were killed? How could one possibly move on after that?

Closing her eyes, she desperately called out to the one who would be most able to hear her, despite the possibility that he no longer cared for her presence.

"_Ulquiorra-kun, please…let me help them."_

* * *

><p>The fourth Espada entered his chambers and briefly looked to the window, it seemed two of Inoue's companions had entered into battles, though neither was Ichigo.<p>

He slowly walked over to his bed, removed his sword and set it carefully against the wooden frame before sitting upon the firm mattress.

Staring down at the weapon, he wondered at which point it would fall upon him to face one of the intruders, if ever. He intended to avoid a confrontation if he could, for the only one he truly desired to kill would be dead before the day was over.

With those thoughts, however, came the promise he had offered to Inoue.

"_I'll have you know that nothing I do will be meant to harm you, or to inflict tears where your smile belongs."_

He knew he had informed her prior that the possibility was still there in which he would fight one of her companions but, how true was that final statement now? He wanted her to feel pain, wanted her to know that she had been foolish in choosing her friends.

And at the same time, he was hesitant to inflict such a thing upon her.

Laying back he stared up at the ceiling absently. There were so many different things he was both feeling and pondering, and all of it was still too unfamiliar to decipher.

Bringing a hand in front of his eyes, he marveled at how he used it both for killing and for holding and caressing the woman. Burned into his mind was her smile, and also the sight of her tears.

Which did he prefer?

Lowering his hand, he closed his eyes. It wouldn't be long now, until the moment in which Ichigo would die. He had to prepare himself to face her.

Breathing easily, Ulquiorra's thoughts slowly began to fade as sleep lingered upon the threshold. He was entirely exhausted and wondered if emotions were the reason Inoue was always so tired as well. They were a great hindrance…

_*He made his way down the hall and towards her, his footsteps hurried and determined. He didn't exactly understand why he was all the sudden making his way to her but knew that he no longer wanted to do anything beside._

_Grasping the handle of the door he did not falter, nor linger, simply pushed forward as he looked to what now greeted him._

_It was a golden expanse, with clear skies above and a temperate climate. __The grass swayed within the wind as he stepped beyond the frame of the door and onto the moist earth._

_Within the back of his mind, he thought it a strange setting, but those observations were so suppressed that his present mental state paid them no heed. _

_He ran a hand along the long, yellow blades of the meadow._

_He wondered what sort of place it was and though he had never before seen it, something about it was so entirely familiar that he recognized almost every detail with a strange sort of fondness. _

_His eyes searched for something, and upon looking to his left he spotted her. __Her hair was carried about by the breeze, and the sun shone down upon her, causing her figure to glow and beckon to him in a way nothing had before._

_He slowly began to make his way over, his footsteps confident and his eyes set only on her frame._

_Upon reaching her, he lifted a hand and gently touched her, his fingers then interlacing through her crimson hair. _

_She turned and looked to him with a bright and excited smile. _

_That smile sent a warmth to course through him, and within that he felt his own face give way to a smile to mirror hers. __It felt so foreign and yet so appropriate within the current setting. _

_She then held out a hand and he removed the one from her hair to entwine within hers, the soft texture of her skin, smooth and enticing against his._

_They began to walk, hand-in-hand, the air coursing around them and the sun glistening down with warmth and comfort. __Was there a feeling in the world equivalent to the one he was currently experiencing? It made everything else seem so trivial in comparison. _

_The future was spread out before them, as the field continued as far as his eyes could see. Together, they would venture, endlessly and infinitely. _

_He stopped and looked to her then, taking in her entire appearance. __Her hair was elegantly inviting…her eyes deeply alluring….her skin smooth and glistening…and her lips entirely mesmerizing…_

_As her eyes looked to his, he smiled again before lifting both his hands to her face and allowing them to linger there as he continued to perceive her. _

_She said nothing and did not avert her gaze as he allowed everything that she was to instill within him the most welcome emotions he had ever felt._

_Then, as his eyes closed and hers followed, he began to close the distance between them. __He brought his lips gently to hers and felt at once the fulfillment of all his sentiments. _

_Was there anything he could compare to this? Nothing even resembled such a perfect and eternal prospect._

_Then…he felt the tears, and the sudden chill of the atmosphere before he pulled away and saw the grey clouds and the darkness of the shadows that had been cast over them. __Her face was broken with sadness and all the beauty from before was distilled and hidden behind her sorrow._

"_Ulquiorra-kun please…let me help them," she pleaded gently, causing an incapacitating ache to course throughout his chest. _

_It was then that he felt a sudden rise then instantaneous fall in the spiritual pressure of someone from beyond the walls of Las Noches…*_

His eyes shot open and he quickly sat up before holding a hand to his head, as if to try and recall, yet suppress, all he had seen within his dreams.

Even his mind, it seemed, was beginning to betray him.

He remembered her, within that field, which was still so confusingly familiar within waking, and the smile she had given him, followed by his own. Everything about her had been so detailed that the image relentlessly lingered within his thoughts.

Holding her hand, as they walked towards an open and eternal future, had filled him with so much…what exactly? Was that how it felt to be happy?

Then, the kiss, which had been so filled with tenderness that he almost felt like a completely different individual.

He wanted that, had wanted to stay in that moment for all time and yet…upon feeling her tears and the overtaking sadness, he realized too late that he far preferred the smile. That sadness had so entirely consumed him that he felt its presence continuing to haunt.

And, as his eyes lifted to the window, he realized that sadness was about to take form within reality. The reiatsu from his dream had indeed signaled the fall of one of her comrades within the real world and as he now sat immobilized he felt the rise of dread at having to face her now.

He was now far less prepared than he had ever been before.

Slowly rising, he looked to the sword, which still rested innocently against the frame of his bed. As the darkness struggled to rise anew within him, he felt the battle of two powers spurning within his chest.

That dream had been beautiful, and wonderful, yet could never happen. The cause of it being that she had already made a choice to be without him. Such a spectacular paradise would never result so long as she continued to offer her heart up to those she cared for most.

Clutching a fist then, he reached down and grasped his blade before lifting it and placing it at his side. He embraced the darkness fully, for he would feel a fool to allow a mere vision to hold any semblance of control within the reality that continued to plague him.

He abruptly turned then and opened the door to the hall, his footsteps determinedly carrying him to Inoue, his mind set and his gaze focused. He carefully constructed the walls around his façade, and deepened his resolve against her.

She had brought every one of her misfortunes upon herself; everything had been at her hand alone. He was merely duty bound to inform her of that which she should have known all along.

As he reached the door of her cell and lifted a hand to open it, he still felt a lingering hesitance and angrily thrust it aside as he announced that he was going to enter…

* * *

><p>Inoue felt Sado-kun's reiatsu diminish and her eyes widened in dread and disbelief. He couldn't be dead…that wasn't possible.<p>

Her mind rebelled against the truth, yet feared the possibility.

She looked to the window for solace, and felt nothing. There was nothing she could do for him, and felt her heart breaking upon every second that drew her friend closer to a possible end.

Following his victory over an Arrancar, he had faced Nnoitra, and with that recognition she shuddered. That Espada was merciless and extremely powerful. Why had Sado-kun fought such an opponent? Why couldn't he see that there would never be a way to defeat him?

She pictured Sado-kun's strong and gentle self, always desiring what was best for those around him. How was it fair that such a person should meet a gruesome end at the hand of one of the most despicable creations the world had allowed into existence?

No…he wasn't dead. She absolutely _had_ to believe that, no matter what.

"I'm coming in."

Ulquiorra's voice wafted over to her, so formal and detached, followed by the echo of the door opening.

Her heart began to pound within her chest at the sudden feel of his presence, her mind beginning to replay their last encounter. She did not turn, however, until she heard the sound of his footsteps entering the room.

Allowing her eyes to slowly drift over to him as she turned her head, her resolve to hold onto the side of her comrades grew.

Upon seeing him, she wavered only slightly. It had been days since she had last beheld his pale skin, dark, smooth strands and enchantingly striking eyes.

He continued to advance toward her, giving off the appearance of apathy, yet somehow instilling the impression of a forced detachment.

"So you've noticed," He observed, "that fool Nnoitra got impatient."

He stopped a comfortable enough distance away, yet still close enough for Inoue to feel somewhat uneasy.

"He had been ordered to stay put in his chambers," Ulquiorra continued.

Inoue recognized the implications and frowned slightly, "Sado-kun isn't dead."

Ulquiorra merely turned his head to the side to gaze at the wall absently, so obviously intent to ignore her reply.

In reality, however, he found himself unable to look to her as she gazed so defiantly and resolutely up at him, while at the same time displaying the hope that her comrade wasn't truly lost.

She wanted him to instill within her that hope.

Inoue stared at him awhile before allowing her brows to set meaningfully as he continued to avert his gaze, "he's not."

His eyes slithered over to her and she slowly looked away and down at the floor, unable to continue holding the cruelty of his demeanor.

She clutched at one arm with her hand tightly, as her feelings threatened to surface. Why had he come? Did he enjoy viewing her in such a state?

Ulquiorra continued to allow his eyes to linger upon her form, the ache and longing to see her subsiding yet remaining unfulfilled.

His anger grew.

"Enter," he ordered, averting his gaze and stepping forward to allow the Arrancar beyond the door to arrive with her meal. He closed his eyes and all was silent save for the rattling of the cart and the sound of Inoue's steady breaths.

Turning to see that his subordinate had set her food upon the table, Ulquiorra then shifted to his former position and allowed his eyes to close once more. "Here's your meal."

Following his declaration, the Arrancar bowed respectfully to the Espada before taking the cart, and leaving the room.

"Eat."

Inoue looked up to Ulquiorra and briefly allowed her gaze to rest upon his passive façade before feeling herself rebel against his command. "I don't want it."

He immediately looked to her, and nearly faltered upon seeing the set and determined expression upon her face.

"Until Aizen-sama says otherwise, staying alive remains one of your duties."

His anger continued to swell and expand within his chest. She had never before refused anything he had ordered, and now as she so defiantly continued to stare into his eyes, he felt all of her enchanting aspects beginning to fall behind the shadow of the darkness within.

He lifted his face and allowed his gaze to pierce deeply, and more meaningfully into hers, "Eat!"

Inoue's eyes instantly widened at the sudden change in his demeanor, before she sighed and lowered her gaze, the rebellion subdued but still lingering.

Seeing that she still intended to disobey him, Ulquiorra clenched a concealed fist within his pocket.

"Shall I force it down your throat?" He asked then, not caring how sharply his words might puncture through her chest. He turned his body to face her completely, "Or would you rather be strapped down and given IV's?"

Inoue did not offer him a reaction, and as he continued to silently await her response, he felt himself losing more and more control over himself, though somehow managing to maintain his indifferent countenance.

"Sado-kun isn't dead!" She stated again, as if that was the sole thing keeping her from breaking down completely.

"You're annoying me," Ulquiorra replied immediately, "It doesn't matter one way or the other."

He paused a moment before allowing his words to continue flowing, unchecked and without expectation of recourse. "What do you want me to say?"

Inoue still continued to avert her eyes, no expression gracing her features, and thus offering no insight as to the depth of her turmoil.

"_Don't worry; I'm sure he's still alive_?" Ulquiorra mocked.

The next word that escaped his lips, drove home the extent of his dark feelings toward her. It was the very same word he had altogether denied as being applicable to her mere days ago when she had so openly asked if he thought her thus. "Pathetic."

"I'm not here to pamper you," he continued.

And he wasn't, as he no longer desired to do any such thing. The previously uncontainable impulse to hold onto her was now so diminished he could hardly even feel its continued presence.

And then, her reaction finally came. A slight lowering of her eyes as all brightness instantaneously faded. He had lost her, he knew, now so entirely that she would never again look to him as she once had, nor utter his name in such a way that could penetrate his careful composure.

This very slight motion from her sent the briefest of aches through his chest, which only resulted in more resentment toward her, himself, and at the whole situation.

"I don't understand you," he stated then, as he had so many times before. However, different from prior declarations, which had been graced with curiosity, this time it held only a cold and calculated confirmation that she was something entirely different from him.

"Why do you care so much about whether or not he's alive?"

Inoue turned to him then with a very soft gasp of surprise at his brazen inquiry. Hadn't he said enough already?

"Before long, all of your friends will be dead anyway," he continued unfeelingly, "what does it matter if one was killed a bit sooner than planned? They should have realized this would happen from the start."

Inoue looked away then, her voice wavering and almost pleading, "Stop it."

Her resolve was beginning to give way to her internal conflictions and she desperately hoped that he would simply heed her request and leave her alone.

"And if they didn't, they were fools." He pressed on, ignoring her request altogether as he unabashedly stared at her downcast expression, somehow reveling in the fact that she would not get the best of him. It was finally time for her to feel what she had instilled within him.

Inoue gasped again and looked to him, her eyes wide and face morphed into one of both desperation and disbelief. What had provoked the Espada before her into such a state of blatant spite? She recognized that he genuinely wished her to feel sorrow.

He had promised he would never hurt her and yet…

"You should be able to laugh all this off if you think of them as such. Why can't you do that?"

Inoue's surprised expression turned into a frown as she felt a small glimmer of anger toward Ulquiorra threaten to rise and present itself. She couldn't allow anyone to speak of her friends that way, not even him.

He continued, seemingly unaware as to the sudden turn of her emotions as her eyes grew wider and her breaths became shallower.

"I would be angry at their stupidity of entering Hueco Mundo without first considering the limits of their strength."

She could no longer control herself as the resentment and pain pulsing through her veins prompted her to glare before she quickly stepped forward and lifted a hand to deliver a resounding blow across his face. The echo continued to surround them following the slap, and her hand began to burn from the hit she had inflicted across his hardened skin.

Her breathing was labored as she stared up at him, neither fearing his reaction nor truly recognizing what exactly had prompted her to do such a thing. However, her gaze was filled with a loathing for the betrayal he had delivered over her and her flushed face regarded him without a single trace of sympathy or affection.

He continued to gaze at the wall, as his upturned face stung with the infliction of her palm. It was not a physical pain, but the action had firmly emotionally imprinted itself throughout the entirety of his being and he found he could not even begin to recover himself from the blow.

He had no idea how to react and so, as he allowed his eyes to look to her and see the glare of her gaze, he found himself incapable of standing within her presence, so powerfully strong and enticing within its ferocity. She had bested him in the end after all.

His foot quickly shifted as he abruptly turned to leave the room.

"I will return in an hour," he announced, stepping into the hall. He then turned his head to look back at her, "If you haven't eaten by then, I will tie you down and force it down your throat."

He allowed the threat to waft over her as her eyes began to shimmer and waver.

"Keep that in mind," he concluded before the door began to close and she stood trembling from within the confines of the room.

The slam resounded throughout the cell as she released a gasp of pain. She stood clutching the hand she had slapped him with and felt herself finally giving way to all she had been suppressing.

The tears fell freely down her face as the sobs followed and resounded throughout the room and down the hall toward the keen ears of the Espada as he quickly made his way to anywhere but within her lingering presence.


	23. Initially Captured

Chapter XXIII

Initially Captured

"_There comes that mysterious meeting in life when someone acknowledges who we are and what we can be, igniting the circuits of our highest potential."_

_-Rusty Berkus _

* * *

><p><em>Inoue walked away from Kurosaki Ichigo's house, the moon signaling that the midnight hour was at hand. She allowed her feet to carry her swiftly through her beloved town, feeling like a ghost drifting across the world of the living. <em>

_The cool metal of the bracelet upon her wrist and the heavy weight upon her heart threatened to overcome and overtake her._

_However, as she clutched a fist, she was determined to be strong for everyone._

_She was making the right choice, and the only regret she still had was that she had not been able to say goodbye to all of her companions._

_Kurosaki's warm hand continued to linger upon hers and the touching scene of his sisters falling asleep beside him replayed throughout her mind, moving her resolve to save all of them. _

_She was to meet the Espada, who was waiting for her at the border of the city, upon the banks of the eastern shore. _

_The wind howled around her and the beautiful light of the moon bathed all of her surroundings within a surreal and lovely light._

_She was going to miss it all, everything she held so dear within her heart._

_She loved her town, and always greeted the many fond memories it presented._

_However, she had no choice but to try and save it._

_As she neared the ocean, and heard the waves crashing powerfully against the silver shore, her eyes spotted the Espada, looking to the water absently. The moon glistened off the white garments he wore and pale complexion of his skin. _

_Still a ways off, he didn't seem to take notice of her approach._

_She marveled at what sort of individual he was. Earlier, when he had caught her within the tunnel, he had killed her two guides without faltering, his calculating expression set on her reaction._

_However, he also didn't stop her when she rushed to revive them, merely stood as if observing everything she did. Had he been testing her abilities? She wondered at the prospect._

_The scent of the salt lingered within the breeze as it surrounded her form. She clutched one hand to her arm as she slowly made her way over and stopped behind him. _

_He didn't turn, though she knew he had to sense her presence. _

_The wind danced through the dark strands of his hair, and his hands were held casually within his pockets._

_Inoue looked to him and felt herself slightly intimidated by his overpowering reiatsu and cold appearance._

"_Have you said your goodbye?" his smooth voice greeted her ears._

_Inoue felt her body upon the brink of trembling, but fought the urge. "Yes," she responded softly, "I'm ready."_

_He turned then and gazed down at her, his emerald gaze observing her in such a way that she wondered if he possessed the ability to see right through her._

_Something about his eyes though, had seemed so sad._

_It had initially and very briefly captured her._

_Those eyes which had once immobilized her within their many depths and mysteries. _

"_Follow me then," he ordered._

_Inoue nodded then and as he turned, looked back to the sleeping town behind her, wishing a final farewell to the life she had been living._

_Returning her gaze to him, she dutifully followed as he led her away and down the shore, toward some unknown point._

_She recalled trying to defend herself against the Espada he had first arrived with, and at how her shield had broken with a single hit._

_She wondered why they had all the sudden taken an interest in her. Didn't they realize that her abilities were nothing extraordinary? _

_As the Espada stopped and tore a space within the sky, he motioned for her to step through and she silently complied._

_As he followed her into the new realm, Inoue stopped as she observed the unfamiliar scene._

_He walked in front of her and tilted his head to the left, "make sure to follow my steps exactly."_

_Inoue felt herself nod as they continued to make their way toward the destination that would seal her fate._

_He opened a door and it led into a white palace, where the marble floors and iridescent walls reminded her of a dream world, where nothing was ordinary or recognizable._

_Stopping and turning to her, he held out his hand. "You can take that off your wrist now."_

_Inoue lowered her eyes to the bracelet she wore, before slowly lifting her hand and slipping it off her wrist._

_It hung suspended between them a moment, before she set the device into his waiting palm, her skin brushing against his briefly and sending a consequent shudder throughout her body._

_She silently lifted her gaze to stare up at him as he neither said anything nor made a motion to move._

_Something within his eyes unnerved her then, and she couldn't quite determine why that was so._

_Her life was now at the will of the enemy, and as he lowered his hand, grasping the bracelet she had worn, Inoue felt a strange determination beginning to build within her._

"_I will lead you to your chambers," Ulquiorra then stated, allowing his eyes to linger upon her suddenly changed demeanor before altogether turning and leading her down the twisted paths of the fortress…_

…

Inoue opened her eyes as the visions of her past faded and receded into the corners of her mind.

She lifted a hand through her hair and recalled the feeling of his fingers caressing her strands. It was the feature he had most admired. Had everything they had been through meant nothing to him?

He had so entirely broken her earlier, and unfeelingly conveyed how very little she now meant to him. There was no semblance of attachment within his voice, and no trace of gentleness within his gaze.

Recalling her previous visions, she now recognized the look that had at the time so unnerved her. It had been filled with…curiosity and interest, and it had been at the sudden contact of her skin against his.

Even then, she realized, Ulquiorra had been enticed and possessed a desire to understand her more completely. What had changed? He was filled with so much darkness and the entire ordeal hauntingly reminded her of the experience involving her brother.

What could she do to save him now?

Feeling somewhat guilty, she wondered if it had been her choice to rally behind Ichigo that had prompted him to reside within such a state.

He had embraced jealously, an emotion that had likewise tormented her brother. He would have been better off had she kept her distance, without ever allowing herself to give way to the fragile feelings of her heart.

Why hadn't she recognized her continued attachment to Ichigo? Why had she so blindly involved herself with the Espada?

"I'm so stupid," she whispered desperately as a tear slipped down her cheek.

Removing her hand from her hair she instead covered her face as she closed her eyes tightly. Her knees, she lifted and clutched to her chest.

She could now feel Rukia's reiatsu, fluctuating and dangerously nearing a complete extinguish.

Her friends were falling and she could do nothing.

Ulquiorra no longer cared and she was left alone, without a single person to turn to for help.

She could feel Ichigo's spiritual pressure drawing closer, but she knew that soon, he too, would face off against one of the Espada and fall at their blade.

Not a single one of them would survive and Inoue shook her head as she marveled that it was all for her. Their only reason in coming to Hueco Mundo was to save her and they were all now going to die because of it.

She truly wished that they had never arrived.

Bringing one hand to her chest, she tried to will the pain away but found the effort entirely futile. Nothing could dispel the fear and impending loss of everyone she loved most.

Lifting her eyes then as they widened, she felt the inevitable decline in Rukia's spiritual pressure until nothing at all remained.

Was she dead?

Standing shakily, she made her way to the door in a desperate attempt to reach through to someone, anyone, beyond. Tears fell freely as she began to pound against the device that separated her from helping her comrades.

"Let me out!" She pleaded with all her heart, denying the realization that her actions were meaningless.

"Let me out of here, please let me out!" She screamed, continuing to hit the door with her fist determinedly.

"Let me out…" she whimpered, feeling her hand shake before allowing it to fall.

"Let me out…" she asked again, her voice continuing to break as her body began to tremble with the sobs waiting to overtake her. "Let me…"

She then fell to her knees in front of the door, continuing to clutch at the cold material and lowering her head in despair as her tears relentlessly drifted down from her anguished eyes. "I can't…take it…"

Her hair shone solemnly within the moonlight, as it continued to glow upon her, her sobs resounding throughout the room. "Kuchiki-san!"

* * *

><p>Who exactly had Nnoitra been fighting? Ulquiorra pondered as he made his way down the hall, his eyes set on the staircase and his mind focusing on the reiatsu of the substitute Shinigami below.<p>

The pathetic Espada had not fought Ichigo and so it was now left to him to fulfill the task of ending his life. What a bothersome, yet undeniably fulfilling mission.

He had felt, and seen, through the eyes of the ninth Espada, the demise of yet another of Inoue's comrades. He imagined she was now overcome with pain but that observation no longer offered the satisfaction it once had.

Instead, he felt absolutely nothing. Nothing at all, and he was enjoying every moment of it. Within the next several moments, yet another friend would fall, and at his hand no less.

The feeling of her slap upon his skin continued to linger, and he still found that he could hardly believe she had struck him.

That was something, he admittedly hadn't expected from the woman. And, upon her having done so, he found that the action had subsequently inflicted a detestable admiration, rather than the anger he would've preferred.

Her hold was still so powerful over him that he wondered if he would ever truly be rid of it. The prospect seemed dim.

Approaching the archway, Ulquiorra looked below and spotted the man Inoue loved, rushing to some unknown destination. He hesitated, placing but one foot forward before stopping completely.

Closing his eyes, he thought of the woman and her smiling face. He thought of the way it felt to hold her within his arms and of her sweet voice, calling to him….Conjuring everything long buried within his soul…

'_Nothing I do will be meant to harm you…' _He opened his eyes as his own voice resounded through his mind, _'or to inflict tears where your smile belongs.'_

For the briefest instant, he thought of turning, of running back to her embrace, of leaving behind every shred of hatred and anger toward the Shinigami below and of Inoue's admiration for him…

But it was much too late for that. He took another step toward his final, crucial act against Inoue.

The damage they had each inflicted had burrowed so deep that nothing could reprieve what had been ultimately lost. Nothing could reinstate him within her favor.

And nothing she could do…would ever reinstate her within his….

Stepping to the top of the staircase, Ulquiorra tilted his head slightly as the resounding footsteps of Kurosaki Ichigo echoed throughout the open and shadowed hall.

He observed him a moment, before deciding to make his presence known. However, before he could say a word, Ichigo suddenly halted in his steps and turned opposite, uttering the name of his fallen comrade.

"So you've noticed," Ulquiorra stated, his voice filling the space with a pleasant, haunting edge.

Ichigo turned, and the Espada spotted a small creature within the fold of his arm. She was definitely hollow and somehow familiar…

"I was convinced you were all brawn and no brain," he continued as the Shinigami continued to gaze upon him with a look of dread. How pleasant that stare was….it had been some time since he'd seen anything equivalent…

"Surprisingly it seems you have decent sensing capabilities as well."

"You're-!" Ichigo began, his eyes wide.

"It's been some time, Shinigami." Ulquiorra replied, recalling his previous encounter with him. Upon doing so however, he pictured Inoue, as he had first seen her, so intriguing as she took a stand against he and Yammy, before revealing a power he had never before seen…

The Espada continued to regard Ichigo silently, and the terrified looking child he held, whilst tilting his head to one side, his mind in an entirely different place.

Inoue….had always been so completely enchanting.

The hatred he felt began to ignite as he stared into the eyes of the one whom she preferred. Taking a step forward, he began to slowly descend the staircase.

Ichigo gazed up at him, as a glare formed and his teeth gritted in recognition. "You're….Ulquiorra!"

"You know my name?" Ulquiorra replied, nearing the pair, "But I don't recall having told it to you before."

Had Inoue told him? When had she done that?

Coat billowing behind him, the Espada cleared the final step before stopping in front of his opponent, collected and entirely assured.

"At any rate…" his gaze intensified upon the Shinigami then, intending to provoke him into a fight, "Kuchiki Rukia is dead."

He found that, despite everything, he somehow couldn't bring himself to initiate anything against Inoue's friend.

Ichigo's eyes widened in astonishment, "What…did you say?"

The desired reaction.

"More accurately," Ulquiorra clarified, "she and Espada No. 9 killed each other."

That had been, admittedly impressive of her.

"She was covered in wounds, and her body was run through by a spear. She couldn't possibly be alive."

The more descriptive, the more Kurosaki would be inclined to give in to anger…A flawless tactic.

"Don't jump to conclusions," Ichigo vehemently retorted. "Rukia's reiatsu just decreased a second ago." The Shinigami stepped forward, "you weren't at their fight, so you don't know whether or not-"

"We have synchronized recognition," Ulquiorra explained, "That was one of Espada No. 9's abilities, as well as his responsibility. He constantly conveys information on any enemy he fights to all of us."

However, as soon as he had finished his statement, Ichigo began to walk determinedly away, resulting in Ulquiorra looking to him curiously.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm going to save Rukia," came Ichigo's confident reply, all disbelief and denial absent from his voice, catching the Espada off guard.

"I believe I told you she's dead."

There was a pause before the Shinigami's unflinching reply, "I don't think she is."

Ulquiorra regarded him silently, and with a small measure of astonishment. Did he actually believe that his comrade had somehow survived such an ordeal?

"You're being obstinate. Are you sure you don't want to kill me before you go?"

"I have no reason to fight you." Kurosaki answered, without wavering.

No reason? Ulquiorra pondered. What was he saying?

"What does that mean?"

Again, Ichigo's reply contained not a trace of hesitance, "You may be the enemy, but you haven't harmed any of my friends yet."

So that was it.

Ulquiorra suppressed his own disbelief as he discovered then that he perhaps had many things left to learn about the nature of humanity. Ichigo was not ruled by impulse, only by some misguided sense of justice.

There was a sudden, very faint feeling of admiration that began to slither into his soul, one that resembled how he had perceived Rukia and also, though not anywhere close to as intense, how he regarded Inoue…

However, Ulquiorra was not about to let him just walk away. He couldn't allow that…

"I see."

He still had a final card to play; one he had hoped wouldn't prove necessary.

He looked to the Shinigami then, determined. "Would that still apply if I told you I was the one who forced Inoue Orihime to come to Hueco Mundo?"

Despite the taunt, as her name flowed from his lips, he felt within it a fondness he altogether despised now.

He only had an instant to ponder it however, as Ichigo suddenly flash stepped, sword drawn and ready as he attempted a strike upon his opponent.

Ulquiorra lifted an arm and blocked the blow, eyes focused and intent upon the rage that the Shinigami was now emitting.

"I knew Inoue didn't go to Hueco Mundo of her own free will after all!"

That was interesting. They had all come despite not fully knowing whether Inoue had betrayed them or not? Where was the reason in that? Were they really all that loyal to one another? The very thought was…sickening. Inoue did not seem to know anything about loyalty.

"That's unexpected," Ulquiorra admitted, "You still held doubts about her intentions, even though you came here to save her."

"Don't you understand?" Ichigo replied, "Everyone's calling Inoue a traitor because of you!"

Ulquiorra hated when the Shinigami said her name, hated the devotion he found there…

"Makes sense," he responded coldly, "If that wasn't the case, then it would mean I'd miscalculated something."

There was no turning back now.

Ichigo glared, his spirit energy surmounting, "damn you!"

Ulquiorra regarded him wordlessly for the briefest of moments, recognizing how determined he was to reinstate Inoue's name and reputation and subsequently, and reluctantly, hating himself for tarnishing it.

"Is that reason enough for you to fight me now?"

Ichigo was an interesting character, and there began to churn within Ulquiorra a more familiar ambition. He was actually going to enjoy having the Shinigami as an opponent. It had been a very long time since he had faced off with someone so seemingly worthy and able.

His nature as a warrior began to flow into him, momentarily replacing all hatred and leaving only the desire to stand against an individual who appeared as if he would be able to match him as an equal.

Power surged around the pair, as they each readied themselves for the imminent battle.

Ichigo fell back then and ordered the cowering child behind him to leave and venture to a safer place.

"It looks like he isn't just going to let me pass through," he said then with a smirk.

Ulquiorra remained silent as the Shinigami continued to speak, his mind already entering into the mode of perception and scrutiny. He had to read this opponent carefully.

"But unfortunately for him," Ichigo stated, adjusting his stance, "I'm in a hurry."

The Shinigami caught the Espada's eyes then as he announced that he was going to approach him with all he had.

Foolish.

The black and crimson surge of power then surrounded Kurosaki as he shouted, "Bankai!"

Reflected within Ulquiorra's eyes was a very impressive and insurmountable display of spiritual pressure. However...

It wasn't going to be enough.


	24. Pretend for a Moment

Chapter XXIV

Pretend for a Moment

"_Blemishes are hid by night and every fault forgiven; darkness makes any woman fair."_

_-Ovid_

* * *

><p>Ichigo shot into the air, a powerful mixture of wind and reiatsu coursing around him as Ulquiorra lifted his gaze to observe the actions of the Shinigami.<p>

"Bankai?" He mused aloud, contemplating that it was not the first time he had seen that form release from Kurosaki. Was that the only ability he had?

However, as the air surrounding Ichigo cleared, Ulquiorra's eyes widened as he saw upon his face the undeniable mask of a hollow. The sight was startling and altogether unprecedented. Did that mean Kurosaki was somehow similar to him? Was that even possible?

He watched the masked Shinigami lift his sword and summon the black and crimson power of his Zanpakuto, the very atmosphere seeming to cringe in anticipation of the impending battle.

Ulquiorra made no attempt to unsheathe his sword as he merely continued to analyze and calculate what was being presented to him.

Ichigo howled and then subsequently released his attack, sending the full force of it down to the Espada below.

As the energy of Kurosaki's attack neared him, Ulquiorra slowly, and calmly, raised a single hand to block the onslaught.

His line of sight impaired, the Espada did not see that Ichigo had drawn closer, his sword strengthening the maneuver. Eyes widening briefly before he altogether dispelled the attack, Ulquiorra felt himself being thrust back from the force of it.

The Shinigami had vastly improved since their last encounter. When had he gotten so fast? Was it because of the hollow mask?

Crashing through two pillars behind him, Ulquiorra felt the rush of adrenaline as the rubble and dust coursed through the surrounding air. He halted his backward movement as he planted his feet firmly against a third pillar, using that to gain momentum as he rushed toward Ichigo, his eyes set and his mind reeling with a single inquiry.

'_Why does he look like that?' _

He didn't understand it at all.

'_And how does he possess such reiatsu? It's exactly like ours!'_

He now truly wondered at the outcome of the duel. He had never before felt his life enter the gamble between life and death and now that he was experiencing such a thing it felt both foreign and oddly invigorating.

Had Inoue known all along of this Shinigami's hollow abilities? Had she witnessed him this way before?

For some reason, he felt compelled to suspect that she hadn't.

His eyes widened and he allowed for a soft gasp as he saw his masked opponent shout and begin to prepare his sword for another attack. He recognized the ability the Shinigami was preparing to use and also knew that it would be far stronger than the one he had been prepared to defend against.

"You're finished," Kurosaki announced, his voice haunting and strange. "Getsuga Tenshou!"

The Zanpakuto hung suspended in the air a tantalizing moment, the dark reiatsu dangerously waiting upon the brink. For a brief moment, Ulquiorra wondered if it was truly the end and felt a deep sort of regret within his core. Was it because of Inoue?

However, the unwanted feeling passed quickly and, regaining his clarity, the Espada landed with a hand outstretched as the Shinigami's Getsuga was sent at an impossible speed toward him.

As it collided with his arm, Ulquiorra felt himself being instantly pushed back by the sheer, massive force. He had never before witnessed an opposition as strong as this and as he felt himself barely able to stand against it, he narrowed his eyes before reluctantly lifting his other hand in defense.

The power continued to grow and displayed no signs of relenting whatsoever.

Ulquiorra's eyes widened in response as he felt both his arms succumbing to its force, _'Impossible!'_

There was nothing more he could do other than concede that he had been wrong within his earlier judgment of Ichigo's abilities. He felt suddenly foolish for underestimating him.

His mind then instantly began to ponder something else. If he were to be slain, would it even affect Inoue? Would she feel sadness or relief upon finally being able to escape from him?

He hardly knew but, within the final second before he was entirely consumed by the attack, he found himself hoping that she would at least continue to remember what they had once meant to one another. He also finally recognized what she still meant to him…

Then all went dark as the power of the Shinigami overcame his own strength, the weight of reiatsu suffocating and severe as he was unceremoniously thrown across the room, his mind blank and unreceptive.

He was no longer aware of anything as his subconscious took over and greeted him with images of the previous night following his last conversation with Inoue…

_He had stared for an immeasurable amount of time at his ceiling as he layed upon his bed, one arm held beneath his head and the other brought over his chest. He found it surprisingly strange to not feel the warmth of her against him as they slept._

_It was something he never thought he would recognize or even acknowledge as being strikingly absent from his daily routine. _

_He continued to feel the sting of her slap against his skin, recognizing it as the first time he had felt her touch in several days._

_He had told the woman he would return in an hour but knew even at the time that the threat of forcing her to eat had been entirely empty. He couldn't even picture himself doing that, despite the intensity of his resentment toward her._

_Especially considering that it had been several hours since he was due to return there…_

_He remembered the sound of her sobs as he made his way down the hall and it continued to haunt as it resounded relentlessly through his head. _

_Why could he not rid himself of all attachments to the woman? Why couldn't he return to how he had perceived her before?_

_She had cast him aside and didn't deserve his continued affection. However, even that realization did nothing to dispel her effect over his soul._

_Rising then, he found that trying to sleep was a pointless endeavor. Leaving his sword behind, Ulquiorra left the room and made his down the empty and silent hall, slowly and without truly recognizing the sanity in where he was now heading. _

_Recounting his dream from that afternoon, he was momentarily startled by its irony before deciding that it was foolish to compare such a thing to reality. The only sound that greeted his ears was the very soft echo of his footsteps and the steady breaths within his chest. _

_He again thought of her smiling face, looking to him so mesmerizingly. He thought of how she had made him promise not to die so long as she remained alive, and at how she admitted that he was unlike anyone she had ever met._

_Had all that been merely a delusion of hers? Could she really have only been shadowing the feelings she held for Ichigo? _

_It all seemed so surreal. _

_He found his emotions numbing; the pain, anger, and frustration becoming a little more subdued as he instead felt his mind assuming an illusory demeanor. _

_It was an entirely welcome reprieve._

_Reaching her door, he was barely cognizant of his hand as it slowly reached up to the handle before pushing it open quietly. He stared into the dark room, having half expected to be greeted with the sight of the field he had visited within his dreams._

_That had been a foolish delusion however and, as his gaze fell to the couch and upon her he felt relieved that she was already asleep._

_He had no idea what he would've said had she been awake._

_Looking briefly to the cart in the corner, his mouth parted slightly as he saw that she had eaten all her food and instantly felt something momentarily unfamiliar course through his chest as a result. _

_Reverting his eyes to her, he silently made his way over, his attention unwavering as he beheld her complacent features, bathed within the pale light streaming through the window. _

_A slight ache coursed through him as he found that he still thought her the most exquisite thing he had ever beheld. Everything about her made everything within him respond in such a way that he felt both weak and completely whole beneath the weight of its incredible power._

_Her breathing was soft, and her demeanor untroubled. However, he saw the illuminated stain of dried tears against her cheek and his eyes widened slightly as he realized that she had cried herself into slumber._

_What was he doing? He wondered but made no move turn away. The darkness was suppressed for the moment and his anger restrained, though the promise of its return lingered upon the recesses of his mind._

"_Oh come on, Ulquiorra-kun, just pretend for a moment."_

"_Pretend?" he replied in a tone that bordered on the incredulous._

"_Yes," Inoue nodded. "I do it all the time."_

_He closed his eyes as he pondered over the words she had once spoken to him and decided to concede. _

_And so, as he again looked to her, he pretended. _

_He pretended that none of it had happened. That none of her friends had arrived and that she was still undeniably his; that she had never denounced him._

_As he then knelt down beside her, his eyes fixed upon her face and his mind continuing to fall within his imagination, he felt the familiarity of his previous contentment. _

_He knew Inoue to be a deep sleeper and so did not fear her waking as he lifted a hand slowly, hesitating a moment before resting it gently against her face. _

_He closed his eyes as he felt the warmth and smooth sensation of her skin against his. It almost seemed real as he responded to his pretend fantasy, now recalling that she had told him to include all of his senses in order for it to truly feel genuine. _

_She had been right, it seemed._

_He opened his eyes and looked to her hair, briefly entertaining the thought of running his hand through her enticing strands. However, he also knew that upon doing so, the entire thing would insert within him a longing he did not want to feel._

_There was something about her crimson tresses that always seemed to awaken the most gentle impulses from deep within his soul._

_Even within his pretend, he knew that such an action would be altogether too much to recover from._

_He also recognized that he might never again have the opportunity to hold her in such a way. Memorizing her features and the feeling presently coursing through him, he continued to pretend that they weren't even in Las Noches but rather a place in which only they two existed, solely for one another and without threat of being parted._

_Deep down, that is what he truly desired, as well as for her to always look to him with a smile. _

_Reality hid within the shadows but Ulquiorra allowed for himself to ignore its company as he continued to gaze upon Inoue. His hand still resting upon her face, he slowly caressed her, careful not to rouse her from slumber._

_She smiled and he retracted his hand immediately, frozen as he waited to see if she would open her eyes. However, she did not, simply continued to sleep._

_He released a breath but withheld his touch, now seeing how thoughtless it had been of him to do such a thing in the first place. _

"_Ulquiorra-kun," she mumbled softly, still not waking._

_As he looked to her with widened eyes, he wondered if she was dreaming of him or just subconsciously detecting his reiatsu. Either way, hearing her say his name instilled the longing he had tried to avoid._

_Allowing the fantasy to continue, Ulquiorra leaned forward and very softly placed his lips against her forehead as he carefully wrapped an arm around her waist. _

_She did not stir but he felt her breathing very subtly shift before, as he retracted his kiss, it returned to normal. _

_Still continuing to hold her, he watched as her smile widened in response. He closed his eyes and reveled in it all, never wanting to live passed the moment in which he now found himself. He longed for time to still, never to progress forward into that which would taint where he presently was. _

_Then, he heard another name escape her lips. The name of the Shinigami. _

_As he again looked to her, he felt his delusions slipping from his mind as clarity returned. He removed his arm and slowly stood, eyes holding her face and imprinting the memory. _

_Reality emerged and he accepted it completely. The darkness followed and he embraced that as well. _

"_So be it," he faintly whispered to Inoue before turning and leaving, the image of Kurosaki Ichigo and all hatred, resentment and anger at once returning…_

The black receded slowly as he felt his mind being abruptly pulled into consciousness. He faintly heard voices in the distance, as his eyes opened and were greeted with the dust swirling above as well as the painfully bright iridescence of the ceiling.

_Orihime…._

Her name pulsed throughout his body as he reflected over the visions he had experienced. It had been a mistake to visit her chambers last night but, he somehow didn't regret it.

The memory served to surmount his anger toward Ichigo for taking all of that away from him and, as he slowly stood to again face the Shinigami, he felt his resolution growing.

He recalled the way she had breathed Ichigo's name as he watched her, and it had seeped and pierced into his hollowed soul.

The darkness was now the only thing he had left, as well as his pride as a warrior and higher level Espada. He could no longer call Inoue his own and for that she and Kurosaki both had to accept their fate.

He watched the Shinigami's eyes widened as the dust cleared to reveal that he was still alive.

"What the hell?" Ichigo replied in disbelief.

"My, my," Ulquiorra stated smoothly, content within his endeavor. "Even with both hands, I couldn't completely stop it. I'm a little surprised."

That had been a huge understatement.

His shirt had been tattered and his hair disheveled but no damage had been done beside. He also perceived that Kurosaki no longer wore the mask and concluded that he had reached some sort of limit.

That was good, for he now longed to bring a quick end to it all.

"Was that everything you had?"

The question lingered within the air and he watched as Ichigo's eyes wavered in despair and defeat before the Shinigami straightened his stance.

Ulquiorra closed his eyes, "hmm," he brushed the dust from his shoulder, "it seems that it was."

He then lifted a hand and directed it toward Ichigo, who tensed at the motion.

"What a pity," Ulquiorra continued, completely detached now from the entire ordeal.

He readied his signature cero and released it without hesitation.

The blast shot across the hall and struck the wall, piercing it completely and colliding into the sands beyond, the sun filtering in through the opening.

_The sun_, his mind briefly pondered as he pictured Inoue once more upon the terrace.

However, he quickly cast that aside as he realized Ichigo had somehow avoided the full onslaught of his attack. Instantaneously, he stepped outside before appearing beside Ichigo within the blink of an eye.

Within his peripheral he saw the running Shinigami look to him with an astounded expression before he turned his head and subsequently delivered a strong kick to the orange-haired teen.

Kurosaki was promptly sent flying into the air and into one of the awaiting towers of the outlying garrison.

Ulquiorra immediately followed, standing silently in the opening as the dust cleared. When Ichigo took notice of his presence, whilst gasping for air and body trembling with all the damage he had taken, he then understood how it was he had avoided his cero.

"You brought out that mask again for a moment in order to block my cero, correct?"

He watched the blood flow down the Shinigami's face before remarking. "You have impressive reflexes."

He couldn't help but compliment Kurosaki on that account as he could always appreciate an excellent battle tactic.

He then slowly stepped toward the Shinigami, "But this time, it shattered in less than a second. You won't be able to use it again."

Ulquiorra still had not reached for his sword even once during the entire duel and, as he now reflected on it he found that it had not only been due to his pride but also with the promise he had made to Inoue that somehow continued to bind him.

More than even that, however, was the fact that he had always found himself reluctant to slay a fallen enemy. No longer how he resented the Shinigami, that basis within his nature was surprisingly stronger.

"Give up," he ordered Ichigo.

However, as soon as the words had left his lips he felt a sharp thrust against his shoulder and his eyes widened before looking to his kneeling opponent.

"You think I'm gonna give up?" Kurosaki countered after he had caught his breath. Even the sword he wielded trembled as a result of his weakened state. "You're the top Espada, aren't you?"

Ulquiorra then saw Ichigo grin and lift his head to announce, "If I defeat you, then this entire war is as good as over."

How ignorant and entirely wrong. He felt the darkness arise once more and as he now analyzed that Ichigo was not going to just accept the opportunity to walk away, Ulquiorra decided that he would leave the Shinigami's death to fate.

"I see," Ulquiorra responded after a deliberate silence. "Sorry to disappoint you."

He then lifted a hand and grasped Ichigo's sword before lifting the blade and tearing the fabric of his shirt. He watched in satisfaction as the Shinigami's eyes widened in response to the engraved four upon his chest.

The wind coursed around them, dancing through the Espada's garments as his hand hung suspended in the air. Ichigo withdrew his Zanpakuto, "No. 4?"

Ulquiorra lifted his head slightly as his focused gaze eased and his arm lowered, "Yes, I'm Espada No. 4, Ulquiorra Cifer. The fourth most powerful member of the Espada."

However, in an instant, he again raised his hand before thrusting it into the Shinigami's chest.

As the Shinigami's eyes widened in pain and a new swell of despair, Ulquiorra looked to him mercilessly. "Kurosaki Ichigo, you cannot defeat me."

His gaze hardened, "even supposing you could, there are still three other Espada more powerful than I. No matter how many times you stand back up to continue the fight…" He withdrew his hand then and watched as Kurosaki fell to the floor, the blood coursing from the wound in his chest. "…your side will never achieve victory."

_She will never be yours…_

Ulquiorra continued to gaze upon the immobile form of the Shinigami, "it seems that I have overestimated you. You did not improve as I had anticipated."

Not entirely true, but close enough to merit being said. He had not expected the Shinigami to fall so easily. Didn't Inoue mean more to him than that?

However, as he looked to the broken body of Ichigo, he found himself unable to deliver a final blow. He could not draw his sword against the man Inoue loved, no matter how greatly he desired to.

"You're done," he announced before closing his eyes and turning to walk away. "If you can still move in that condition, I suggest you leave immediately. If you can't move, then die there."

He would let allow fate to take over and do with the boy whatever it willed. He was allowing for the outcome to be taken from his hands, no longer wanting anything to do with it.

"Either way, your path ends here, Shinigami."

He felt the swell of Ichigo's reiatsu, coursing from his body and filling the air before lifting his gaze and looking to the sun as he felt an accompanying and strange plummeting within his chest. Though he had not killed Ichigo, he had left him on the death's doorstep, all the while knowing that Inoue would be insurmountably hurt as a result. Why did that continue to plague him and why was he now longing with greater intensity to see her?

* * *

><p>Inoue stood beneath her window, as she had countless times before. She pleaded with the moon and confided within its glow, wishing with all her heart that everything would turn out alright in the end.<p>

Lowering her head, however, she clenched a fist and conceded that her hopes were all in vain. Looking then to the couch she again found that since waking she could not seem to dispel a strange lingering of Ulquiorra's presence.

She didn't know if she had merely been dreaming it but, she swore she had felt the warm embrace of his arm over her waist as well as the gentle pressure of his lips against her forehead.

However, she knew such a thing was ridiculous. He no longer cared for her in that way and yet…how could she explain the validity of his reiatsu as it seemed to endure within the room?

Slowly making her way over to the sofa, she gazed down at it for an immeasurable amount of time before collapsing to her knees beside it.

She pictured Ulquiorra there, and imagined that he had visited her last night, though her mind fought against the very idea.

However, as she smiled and closed her eyes, she placed him in the very spot she now found herself, kneeling beside her and looking down at her as he always used to; his eyes gentle and always attentively curious.

Inoue lowered her head and rested against the soft cushion, her smile widening and her mind recalling his face.

She momentarily overlooked everything that had happened and simply thought of the time she and the Espada had spent together. She fondly recalled his voice and the feeling of his hand within hers.

Those were moments that she would always hold close to her heart and she wondered if he even knew how much he still meant to her.

She wished she could tell him before he separated himself entirely or before he did something she wouldn't be able to forgive.

She loved Ichigo though, and that was a fact she couldn't change. However, she still cared for Ulquiorra deeply and desperately wanted for him to understand that even though she couldn't be with him the way she had before, that she continued to desire his presence within her life.

She missed him. She missed him dearly.

As her thoughts then fell into the silence that surrounded her, she was allowed a final moment of tranquility before her eyes suddenly widened in horror.

She lifted her head and straightened her posture as the feeling of Ichigo's diminishing reiatsu seemed to tear itself from her very body.

"Kurosaki-kun…" she whispered painfully.

As his name greeted the stillness of her cell, Inoue remained numb for countless moments before she once again collapsed over the sofa, her hands clutching the soft material.

"No! First Kuchiki-san and now Kurosaki-kun? It can't be."

Who had done it though? She hadn't even known he had fought someone. Had he really fallen that quickly? Had he gone up against someone that powerful?

She couldn't bear the thought of being without him.

As the sound of the door being opened reached her ears, Inoue lifted her head and looked in the direction of the noise, her heart jumping and her mind somehow eager to see the Espada.

"Ulqui-" she began before realizing it wasn't him, the horror of a menacing presence greeting her instead.

"See? The princess is all alone." A pair of chuckles followed before the door opened wider to reveal the two girls from Aizen's assembly.

"Orihime-chan," the dark-haired girl sang ominously, "let's play a game."

Inoue looked to her with widened eyes, cold dread filling her chest.

'_Ulquiorra-kun, please…help me….'_


	25. Unabashed Transparency

Chapter XXV

Unabashed Transparency

_ "Confront the dark parts of yourself, and work to banish them with illumination and forgiveness. Your willingness to wrestle with your demons will cause your angels to sing. Use the pain as fuel, as a reminder of your strength." _  
><em> -August Wilson<em>

* * *

><p>The two female Arrancars entered the room and switched on the light, choosing to first linger by the door and simply leer down at Inoue.<p>

Heart pounding, Orihime rose from beside the sofa, her eyes wide and her hand clutched nervously over her chest. "Um…"

She stopped as the girls slowly made their way over, walking deliberately and maliciously. Lolly looked about the room, her eyes dark as they appraised her surroundings, "Well, well!"

Inoue lowered her hand as the pair reached her, Lolly continuing to taunt in a voice that was both spiteful and mocking. "You've got a pretty nice room, don'tcha?"

"Doesn't she?" Melony responded flatly as they circled around Inoue.

"Oh?" Lolly touched the couch then before seeming to recognize something, and Orihime briefly wondered if she could sense Ulquiorra's reiatsu. Had he visited her last night after all? The very thought made her feel an indescribable flicker of exhilaration.

However, the feeling quickly passed as she watched Lolly unceremoniously lay upon the sofa, her smile malevolent.

"A _very_ nice room," she repeated again, though Orihime had no idea what the girl was implying.

"Aizen-sama must really like you!" Lolly continued, her arms crossed and her gaze lowering as Melony moved to stand beside her.

'_Aizen?'_ Inoue wondered, clutching a fist. She had not encountered Aizen very much at all since her arrival.

"Well, doesn't he?" Lolly inquired before lifting a hand and patting the pillow.

Inoue looked to the girl with widened eyes, her mind suddenly interpreting her vague statements.

"Everyone's all into you!" Lolly proclaimed, "You're super popular!"

Inoue's brows creased somewhat angrily as the girl continued to provoke her. Was she jealous?

"Amazing isn't it! Five people even came here to rescue their princess."

Inoue gasped slightly, as she instantly recalled the decline in every one's reiatsu, her heart feeling a new wave of pain.

She pictured Rukia against the 9th Espada, Chad fighting Nnoitra, Ishida continuing within his battle, Renji facing off yet another powerful opponent, and…as her eyes lowered…she felt within her heart the absence of Ichigo's presence, every beat instilling a piercing ache that coursed through her veins and into her very soul.

"They're…" she began breathlessly before lowering her head and closing her eyes, fists tightening. They were all falling and she could do nothing to stop it. There wasn't even anyone to lean on or look to for comfort. The one and only person who had even remotely cared was now so far across the void that she could do nothing to bring him back.

And losing him had hurt every bit as much as feeling the impending loss of her friends.

"So, Orihime-chan, do you think that you're hot stuff?" Lolly brazenly asked before rising quickly and walking up to Inoue.

Melony turned her head away, "how lame."

Lolly smiled as she again circled Orihime, her hand brushing along her shoulder, "or do you just take it for granted?"

"I don't…" Inoue began to step back as Lolly came to stand in front of her.

"What? What was that?" The dark-haired girl asked, backing Inoue against the wall. "I didn't hear you."

Orihime cringed, no longer having anywhere to escape. "I don't think like that!" she defended, body tensing and eyes closing.

She envisioned his face, desperately she envisioned it.

"Hey, Melony, you hear that?" Lolly asked with a grin, looking to her counterpart. "She says she doesn't think like that!"

"She doesn't?" The blond asked with a smirk.

Then as Lolly slammed her hand against the wall beside Inoue's face, the latter looked to her with a gasp of surprise as her eyes simultaneously widened.

"I'll tell you something good," Lolly began before removing her hand and running her fingers through a section of Inoue's hair.

Orihime closed her eyes as the girl then threateningly sang her name, her mind recalling the way it always felt when Ulquiorra would caress her strands and wishing with all her heart that it was he standing before her now.

However, she was instantly brought back into reality as Lolly suddenly grasped her hair tightly and threw her to the floor at Melony's feet. She screamed softly as her body trembled in pain and astonishment.

"Don't get cocky, bitch!" Lolly commanded.

Inoue heard the girl's footsteps approach as her eyes closed and her hands grasped the side of her face where she felt a bruise forming.

"Stay away from Aizen-sama, you lowly human!"

_Ulquiorra was…nothing compared to the others._

Then, as Lolly raised a foot and placed it over the side of her head, Orihime's face eased as she looked to the woman calmly. She wasn't afraid, she decided. Not at all. Within the deepest recesses of her mind she wondered if her sudden strength had been due to the fact that she was now thinking of the fourth Espada.

"Oh? What was that?" Lolly asked as Melony joined her, both peering down at Inoue cruelly.

"She pisses me off," the blond stated.

"Wanna beat her up?"

"'kay," came her response, "we'll stop when she starts to cry."

Lolly laughed, a high pitched screeching sound, "Good call!"

Inoue's brows furrowed but she continued to picture Ulquiorra's face, determined to remain resilient. Would he be proud of her?

"Orihime-chan," Lolly stated, "show us how ugly you are when you cry!"

Inoue's eyes briefly widened before she received several kicks, sending an acute pain throughout her body. She only heard the sound of Lolly's joyous laugh as she closed her eyes and focused on one thing…a strategy for escape.

Then, as if her mind had momentarily escaped and transported her back in time, Inoue felt, heard and saw herself standing in the middle of the room, clasping a beautiful emerald hilt as a warm, pale hand covered hers and guided her through the techniques he executed within battle.

She almost smiled as she remembered his voice within her ear; gentle, precise and always interested. His strong grasp over hers had seemed almost ethereal and yet so entirely tangible within reality. Then as her head had slowly turned to look up into the most arresting set of eyes she had ever encountered, she recalled how she was filled with something she still could not name or even understand.

As the pain deepened and at last settled, Inoue lifted her gaze when the kicking stopped, her reverie instantly fading. Her heart then jumped as she recognized a very faint opening.

Rising to her feet, she hastily made her way to the door, hoping she had somehow caught her attacker off guard.

However, a bala shot passed her and against the door, exploding and sending her flying back onto the hard marble of the floor.

Watching as the door landed at her feet, Inoue's eyes widened.

"I'm sorry!" Lolly exclaimed mockingly as Orihime straightened slightly and continued to gaze through the opening.

"It looked like you wanted out, ya know?" the brunette continued, "So I tried to open the door for you. But I guess I overdid it a little!"

Inoue turned then and looked up at the sneering pair, her demeanor retaining a startled expression.

Lolly took a step forward, "Oh? You got something you wanna say?"

Inoue looked to her with an expression that resembled resentment.

Lolly crossed her arms, "If you wanna say something, then spit it out already. We'll be nice and listen to you."

Inoue blinked then, her brows set and her face easing once more. She didn't have to accept being bullied by the pair and as she beckoned all confidence into her heart, she thought again of Ulquiorra.

"If you don't have any business with me, please leave."

The reactions of the two girls was instantaneous as each of their eyes widened simultaneously, obviously not expecting to hear such a thing from her.

As Inoue looked to the ground, Lolly made her way over before kneeling down in front of her. "Who the hell do you think you are?"

She then neared her face, and Inoue lifted her head in response.

"Humph," Lolly began, as Orihime continued to defiantly stare back at her. She looked to the blond with a smile, "Melony!"

"I know, right?" The other girl tilted her head, a matching smirk on her face before she raised and prepared a cero within her palm.

Inoue's eyes widened in horror and disbelief.

"Lately, her cero hasn't been working quire right." Lolly stated excitedly, "Apparently it sometimes shoots off all on its own!"

Inoue's eyes wavered slightly.

"If you aren't careful, it might start firing at you. It's totally different from the Bala I shot a second ago. This one might kill you!" She grinned and lifted her head, observing Inoue's face. "What's wrong? Say something!"

Orihime lowered her head and recalled the words Ulquiorra had ordered her to say. Perhaps it would be enough…"I exist to serve and do as Aizen-sama says…"

However, Inoue realized it had been the wrong thing to say as Lolly's face suddenly contorted in anger, "Don't you dare speak Aizen-sama's name!"

She then lifted a hand to Inoue's chin and forced her to look into her eyes, "don't get so full of yourself just because you get to speak directly with Aizen-sama!"

Inoue's gaze hardened and her brows again creased in determination.

"What's with that look!" Lolly shouted.

Inoue closed her eyes and grimaced as Lolly brought her hands to the collar of her garment and forced her to stand. "Get up!"

Inoue grasped the brunette's hands, "please, stop!" She then gathered her remaining strength and shoved Lolly away to free herself, straightening to look upon her assertively.

"Bitch!" The girl gritted her teeth in anger before striking out and slashing at Inoue's face, sending her falling back against the couch.

As the Arrancar slowly stepped toward her, Inoue tried to concentrate on getting away. Lolly grinned before stooping down and grasping the top of her hair.

"How pathetic!"

There it was again, that word. Inoue instantly recalled when Ulquiorra had said the same thing and felt a resulting ache through her chest.

"There's no way a mere human could stand up against an Arrancar's strength!"

Inoue looked to the girl with continued willpower, the same way she had glanced up at Ulquiorra when he had demeaned her. If she could withstand his cruelty, she could certainly handle the girl before her.

"You-!" Lolly glared, "stop giving me that look! I'll make sure you'll never see Aizen-sama again!"

"Lolly," Melony warned, cero still in hand. "Don't take it any further! If you overdo it…"

"Shut your trap!" Lolly ordered the girl. "If you're chickening out, then leave!"

"Come on, Lolly!" Melony pleaded before her eyes suddenly widened as a flash of reiatsu erupted behind her, exploding the wall.

"What?" The dark-haired girl exclaimed, shielding her face from the debris.

For an instant, Orihime thought it was Ulquiorra and she looked to the opening in anticipation before suddenly recognizing the presence of the newcomer.

The girls' eyes both widened as they both seemed to notice at the same time who resided behind the dust. As the air cleared and the sound of footsteps approached, the first thing Inoue saw was the cerulean hair.

"Grimmjow!" Lolly stated in astonishment.

Relief instantly flooded into Inoue. She could hardly say she trusted the man but she knew that he wouldn't hurt her. Ulquiorra really had to start giving him more credit…

"What's up?" Grimmjow asked, without enthusiasm.

Both Arrancar's looked to the Espada nervously, obviously aware that he could be very unpredictable.

"I see you two waltzed right in while Ulquiorra wasn't around," he continued. "Looks like you're having a blast!"

"What?" Melony asked, eyes wide.

"How did you get in here?" Lolly questioned next.

"How?" Grimmjow replied simply, "through the wall."

"Q-quit being a smartass!" Lolly demanded.

"Ahh, relax," he countered, "I don't know who did it but, the door just happened to be broken down."

"You jerk!" Lolly exclaimed as he began to approach them, "don't mess around with us!"

As he passed Melony, she gasped and Lolly grimaced as he reached her instead.

"Beat it!" he commanded before slapping her across the face and sending her flying through the air and onto the ground on the other side of the room. Grimmjow then observed her crumpled form, "It looks like I overdid it a bit,"

Lolly slowly lifted herself, coughing and trying to regain her breath.

"Grimmjow!" Melony shouted angrily, readying her cero.

However, he instantly reached out and grasped her hand, smirk in place. He then used his own reiatsu to intensify her cero and use it against it her.

She screamed as the crimson light engulfed and devoured her body.

"Menoly!" Lolly shouted as Inoue looked on with an instant swell of pity and compassion.

"That was dangerous," Grimmjow stated to the defeated girl, though knowing she was far beyond the ability to hear him, "you have to use Cero carefully."

"Aizen-sama will make you pay when he finds out about this!" Lolly exclaimed, still crouched on the ground.

Grimmjow's eyes slithered over to her before he slowly made his way over.

"What? What is it?" Lolly stated, cowering as he neared. "Hey! What are you gonna do? Back off!"

Grimmjow stopped, and grinned. "Boo!"

Lolly screamed and grasped her head as she cringed, startled and frightened.

"Dumbass," Grimmjow remarked when she seemed to realize that he hadn't done anything.

"Aizen-sama is gonna kill you!" she then stated. "He'll kill you! Kill you dead!"

Grimmjow then lifted a foot and stomped on her head as Inoue watched, frozen against the sofa as she felt another wave of empathy toward the girl on the floor beneath him.

They would have been better off, she knew, if it had been Ulquiorra instead. He would not have harmed them and she felt a new admiration for the fourth Espada swell within her chest as she pondered it.

"Dumb slut," Grimmjow said, looking down at Lolly. "Like Aizen would even lift a finger for the likes of you."

"Wh-why?" Inoue suddenly asked him, her eyes set on the girl as well.

Grimmjow looked to her, no trace of humor on his features. "Returning the favor for my left arm."

Inoue blinked and looked up at him as she remembered when she had first arrived in Hueco Mundo and stood in Aizen's presence. He had asked her to display her abilities and she had done so through rejecting Grimmjow's arm from having ever been lost.

Her reverie was broken, however, as he grasped the collar of her apparel and lifted her into the air.

"What?" She asked, surprised.

"_What?"_ he mocked, "Did you think I came here just to save you? Don't be naïve."

Inoue looked to him in concern, now wondering what it was he wanted from her.

""I've repaid my debt to you," he continued. "You can't use that as an excuse to give me a hard time." He grinned, "Now, I need you to help me with something."

Her eyes wavering, Inoue waited nervously for his instructions.

Seeing the look on her face, his smile then slowly diminished before he gently set her on her feet, observing her a moment before walking over to the window and beneath the light that was streaming through.

Inoue looked to him a moment, unsure, before following and stopping beside him.

His eyes were set on the night sky for a countless amount of time as Inoue simply watched him, deciding to wait patiently for him to continue.

"Ulquiorra has been…different," he suddenly stated, causing her eyes to widen as he then looked down at her.

"I don't know what you did to him and," he tilted his head, "I won't even begin to understand what exactly he finds so intriguing about you, but…"

"Grimmjow…" Inoue looked down to her feet before she felt his hand upon her shoulder.

She lifted her gaze once more and observed his face. He didn't seem angry just…somehow confused.

He closed his eyes. "I think he was foolish to allow himself to fall so far within his own negativity."

What did he mean? Inoue wondered as she tried to figure out the implications behind his statement.

Grimmjow looked to her, "which brings me to you. I need you to help me reverse something he did."

Furrowing her brows, Inoue found she still didn't understand what he meant.

He then sighed and removed his hand from her shoulder. "Heal those injuries on your face."

Inoue gasped at his order, her eyes wavering. She had never done something like that before; had never used her powers on herself.

His eyes narrowed, obviously not identifying why such a simple task was of such a hindrance to her. "Now."

Inoue blinked as she lifted a hand to the pin in her hair, eyes set on the sixth Espada, before suddenly lowering her arm and looking to the fallen forms of the two Arrancars.

She watched Lolly struggling to even stand, and observed the now indistinguishable remains of her counterpart.

Inoue stood there a breath longer before suddenly, and without hesitation, making her way over to the dark-haired girl.

"Hey!" Grimmjow hollered, not seeming to comprehend what had gotten into her.

Lolly's eyes instantly widened as Inoue approached. "What're you gonna do?"

Inoue knelt beside her, "Shun'ou, Ayame…" her pins instantly transformed into her pixie creatures, surrounding Lolly as she lifted a hand to prepare the healing process.

"What the hell are you trying to do?" Lolly demanded, sitting up.

When Inoue did not respond, Lolly looked to her questioningly a moment before suddenly lifting a hand and striking her across the face.

Inoue received the slap, her hair covering her lowered face, as Lolly continued to watch warily.

However, Orihime again lifted her hand and encompassed the girl within a golden shield, looking to her determinedly and with care. As she felt the slap burning across her skin, she thought only of Ulquiorra, and at how she had done the same to him.

Lolly's eyes widened further as she felt all her wounds being eradicated, their existence written off as if they had never happened at all.

Inoue watched her silently and when the procedure was complete, rose and walked over to Melony, one hand clutching her arm as she stared down at the absent form of the blond girl.

She then summoned her creatures and the hum of her healing light encompassed the air, the gentle pressure drifting through the strands of her hair.

Lolly gasped as she watched what was happening. "There's just…no way…"

However, with all eyes in the room fixed on the floor, they observed Melony's body reforming and all damage being entirely erased.

Her face set in a grimace, Lolly looked then to Inoue, observing the way her kind eyes simply focused on nothing but bringing back the girl from the dead. "What the hell is she?" She gritted her teeth, "she's…she's a monster!"

Grimmjow watched Inoue silently, simply observing her illuminated form and deciding that she really was an intriguing creature after all. He smirked as he pictured Ulquiorra and at how she had so entirely reduced him to an unrecognizable level, something that he would've scoffed at and denied as even possible if he hadn't seen the transformation before his very eyes.

That, in itself, was worthy of being recognized as a fascinating accomplishment.

* * *

><p>As Ulquiorra made his way across the sands and away from the fallen Shinigami, he thought of Inoue.<p>

He thought of all the confidence she always held within her eyes, all the gentleness and affection. He thought of the way it felt to hold her within his arms, and experience the touch of her lips against his own.

So many seemingly small and insignificant things, and yet all so powerful and entirely vital to him now.

With sudden and startling clarity, he realized that all along he had never wanted to lose her and that despite all of his animosity, he had inwardly desired to regain her favor.

He knew better than to hope for such a thing however, as it was much too late.

A movement within his peripheral sent his gaze looking to the ground where he spied a lizard crawling over the dunes and making its way to some unknown destination.

He tilted his head as he observed the creature and thought of her smiling face as she had looked to him in excitement, holding within her hands an animal of the same type. She had told him that it wasn't so very different from the lizards within her own world, despite being hollow.

He hadn't understood her way of thinking at the time, and it had immensely confused him. However, he had long since come to admire that aspect about her, and found it to be one of the most defining characteristics of her personality.

She was always seeking to connect with everything and everyone she encountered, never failing to instantly look for a way into their heart.

Closing his eyes briefly before turning away from the creature as it continued its trek across the desert, the Espada then looked to the sun.

He almost smiled as he thought of how happy he had once made her. It was still something that made him feel genuine accomplishment.

Following this recollection he then began to understand and accept something. Until now he had completely resented her for changing him, for even allowing him to be a part of her life. However, as he now found unabashed transparency within the recesses of his mind, he realized that the only thing worse than being without her, was the thought of never having her at all.

It was so strange and yet so strikingly apparent that Ulquiorra had to wonder why he hadn't perceived it that way before.

He wasn't even close to forgiving her for turning against him but he had now arrived at the point in which he could at last recognize the significance of his memories of her, and of their time together.

His eyes suddenly widened then as he faintly detected her reiatsu, escalating and seeming to encompass the air around him. What was going on? He didn't feel like she was in any sort of trouble but decided to make his way to her cell all the same.

He also suddenly decided that, upon seeing her, he would admit to injuring Kurosaki Ichigo, if only to dispel the relentless gnawing within his chest.


	26. Depths of Violet

Chapter XXVI

Depths of Violet

_"And eyes disclosed what eyes alone could tell."_

_-Timothy Dwight_

* * *

><p>As Inoue followed Grimmjow out of the room, she again wondered where it was he was trying to lead her. He said he wanted her to reverse something Ulquiorra had done. What did he mean by that? Had Ulquiorra hurt someone? If so, then, who had he injured that Grimmjow so desperately wanted her to save?<p>

It completely perplexed her.

As they entered a dark room, however, Grimmjow suddenly stopped and turned to face her. "Don't panic, alright? I'm gonna have to do something you probably won't like."

Inoue's eyes widened then as he clasped a set of chains around her wrists and tied a gag about her mouth. He briefly looked to her in slight amusement before covering her body with a cloth and unceremoniously grasping her under his arm.

"Don't want anyone askin' questions," He continued, "you understand right?"

Inoue simply glared, though knew he couldn't see it. She heard his laugh before she felt him beginning to run at an incredible speed. Closing her eyes, she continued to remind herself that Grimmjow would not hurt her, though simultaneously wondered why she was so confident in that assessment.

Perhaps it was simply because he seemed to only harm those he viewed as an actual threat or wished to derive some sort of amusement from. Although, she _had _seen him take out the previous 5th Espada without even blinking an eye.

A sudden and penetrating brightness then infiltrated the cloth and she realized with an accelerating heart that he had brought her outside.

_Where _was he taking her?

She tried to call out to him but her voice was muffled by the fabric in her mouth. Had that really been necessary? She had already decided to help him.

She could hear the sound of the sand beneath his feet and felt the warmth and brightness of the sun as it seeped through to her skin.

It reminded her of Ulquiorra and at how spontaneously wonderful it was of him to show her that the sun indeed existed within the realm of the hollow…in some form at least.

As her face and muscles relaxed, she recounted the conversation when he had asked her what she missed most within her world. There had been so many other things she could've said but she had happened to select something that resided within both her realm and his.

She had discovered so many similarities and within that was able to recognize and appreciate the fact that Hueco Mundo possessed a beauty all of its own. Despite being different from her world, she enjoyed the stillness and captivating spirit of the endless desert.

It seemed to have a life of its own, a life that hinted toward something far grander than any of the hollow perceived. There was a reason for its existence; there was a reason for everything.

As Grimmjow suddenly halted, Inoue's eyes shot open before she felt her stomach drop as he quickly jumped and landed upon what sounded like a marble floor.

She also heard the poignant screams of a child, calling out some indiscernible name. Her heart began to pound faster as she wondered why there was a crying toddler in the realm of hollow. What was Grimmjow going to have her do?

"Take a hike, kid." Grimmjow ordered immediately, causing Inoue to feel somewhat relieved that whatever they were doing did not involve the little girl.

"E-Espada No. 6, Grimmjow-sama…" the child whimpered, causing Inoue to furrow her brows as she listened. The girl knew him?

The cerulean-haired man did not comment but merely fell silent as he began to slowly advance forward. Inoue then heard him kick at something on the ground, her mind reeling with any possible explanation as to what that object was.

She slowly began to feel an undeniable dread.

"Tch," Grimmjow stated, "I knew it."

"S-stop," the child pleaded before her voice fell silent.

Inoue then felt Grimmjow's hand above the cloth that covered her before she was flung forward, gasping as her eyes widened and her heart completely stilled.

There, lying on the ground, was the comatose form of Kurosaki Ichigo. She hadn't seen him in so long and now, as she hung suspended within the grasp of the sixth Espada, her breath caught and all her dread waited to smother her.

Grimmjow then released her and simultaneously severed the binding around her mouth before she fell to her knees beside Ichigo's body, eyes gazing into the absent emptiness within his.

"Kurosaki-kun…" she finally managed, her breathing returning, but her mind completely blank. She only absently noticed that there was a hole within his chest placed exactly where Ulquiorra's was, but she couldn't presently comprehend what that meant.

Grimmjow sat on the rubble behind him and leaned both hands over his knees as he locked his gaze upon her penetrated form. "Heal him!"

Inoue gasped, suddenly remembering why she was there before slowly turning to face the 6th Espada and seeing that he was completely serious. Why? Why did he want her to heal Ichigo?

She continued to gaze at him for awhile as she tried to understand what it all meant.

* * *

><p>Ulquiorra quickly made his way through the fortress and down the halls toward Inoue's cell, his concern surmounting as he found he could no longer feel her presence. What had happened to her? There was no possible way that any of her comrades could have rescued her so suddenly and without confrontation.<p>

More than that, however, he refused to accept that fate was so cruel that it would not allow him one final opportunity to gaze upon her face and confess to taking something of value from her.

His eyes remained trapped on the distance between he and her cell, as it closed and threatened to present something devastating. It was also possible that one of the other Espada had gotten to her, or that she had taken the opportunity to somehow escape and flee from the fortress, intent on leaving with her friends.

Both explanations were so entirely distressing that he was momentarily startled by their intensity.

She still meant so much to him and that was something he could no longer deny, no matter the strength of darkness or persistence of resentment.

Even though the Shinigami had fallen, Ulquiorra knew that whatever they had shared, whatever one called that intimacy, was irretrievably and completely lost.

However, he could still look into her eyes and admit that he had been wrong in hurting her. Perhaps that would somehow allow for her to accept him, if only slightly.

His eyes widened then as his footsteps slowed, his mind at once perceiving the rubble within the hall, the absence of a door, and the overwhelming lack of her presence.

However, he _did_ sense the spiritual pressure of a pair within the room and narrowed his eyes as he began to advance forward. He crossed the threshold slowly and allowed the darkness of the cell to envelop him.

Hands in pockets and head lowered as his robe billowed behind him, his eyes observed the frightened faces of the Arrancar duo within the blackness.

"What is the meaning of this?"

He continued to walk forward, gaze unrelenting and posture rigid as he began to understand what had taken place.

* * *

><p>Inoue turned away from Grimmjow then, deciding to find out the answer to his request later. Her eyes returning to Ichigo and upon his tattered body, she slowly lifted both hands and called for her pixies before they surrounded the Shinigami in a golden light, the hum soothing to her ears and easing the pain within her chest.<p>

She still could not bring herself to ask who had done this to him, though the answer resided just beyond the threshold of her conscious thoughts.

"Itsygo!" The child began to shout suddenly as she watched Orihime, tears streaming down her face. "Itsygo was tryin' ta protect me and he got hitted by a cero! Itsygo was tryin' ta protect me and he got kicked really hard!" She breathed in and out shakily, "I-I kept gettin' in Itsygo's way! Itsygo woulda been okay if I wasn't dere! It's all my fault! Pwease save Itsygo!"

Inoue didn't know who the girl was or how she had become so attached to Ichigo but, as she listened to her desperate sobs she pondered that it was a direct outward reflection of the screaming emotions within her own chest.

The crying continued before Grimmjow apparently decided he had heard enough. "Shaddup!" he ordered intensely and in utter annoyance.

The girl instantly stopped and turned to look at the Espada, her eyes wide.

"Shut your damn mouth, kid!" he continued as her lip quivered in response. "Say another word and I'll blow your freakin' head off!"

The girl swallowed before silently nodding as Inoue briefly glanced down at her. She didn't believe that Grimmjow would actually do something like that and her thoughts were confirmed when the harshness in his voice seemed to diminish as he offered the girl a tiny semblance of ease.

"He'll recover even when you're not screaming," he explained, "So be quiet and watch."

All was quiet then as Inoue focused entirely on reviving Kurosaki, her eyes continuing to observe him for any signs of vitality, though she had soon come to realize that he was not completely gone. Why had he been left between life and death without any finality? She was relieved but also entirely confused.

'_An incredible reiatsu is engulfing Kurosaki-kun's injury,' _she noticed as her glow shied away from a dark energy that persistently flowed from the hole in his chest.

Inoue's eyes lowered, _'I can't…reject it.'_

She closed her eyes and whispered softly, barely audible words falling from her lips. "Who on earth did this?"

* * *

><p>Ulquiorra walked past the pair as they continued to observe him in alarm, watching as he lingered within the glow that emitted through the window above. His gaze lowered to the beautiful and tantalizing light, pondering over the way it always illuminated Inoue's form, enhancing and caressing her features in the most enthralling of ways.<p>

* * *

><p>"It was Ulquiorra," Grimmjow answered, his eyes fixed on Inoue's figure and the reaction he knew would follow.<p>

* * *

><p>"Who did this?" Ulquiorra demanded, his eyes continuing to hold the moonlight. He heard Lolly inhale quickly from behind him before uttering the name of the individual responsible for Inoue's disappearance.<p>

"Grimmjow…"

* * *

><p>Inoue's heart instantly sank, her eyes beginning to feel threatened by the onslaught of tears. She pictured Ulquiorra, the gentle and sensitive side of him, caressing her hair and then…as she closed her eyes and tried to control her breathing….she envisioned him lifting that same hand and violently thrusting it into Ichigo's chest, knowing full well how very much he meant to her. She <em>knew<em> Ichigo was not the one to provoke the fight, knew it from the bottom of her heart, which meant that Ulquiorra had gone and sought him out, purposefully seeking to end his life.

"_I'll have you know that nothing I do will be meant to harm you, or to inflict tears where your smile belongs."_

He really had gone and done something unforgiveable; she would never be able look into his eyes the same after this or hide the betrayal that would now accompany her memories of him.

The void that separated them was now so vast that she found that she couldn't even see him anymore beyond the great chasm. Her emotions hardened and her mouth set in acceptance. Ulquiorra was exactly like the others and she suddenly felt foolish for ever thinking differently.

Kurosaki was a good person and she berated herself for ever contemplating that Ulquiorra could even come close to equaling him.

Opening her eyes then, she slowly turned her head and looked to Grimmjow, who was continuing to watch her closely.

"It's a quirk of his," he explained after a moment, "I dunno if he notices it himself or not, but he has this habit of stabbing enemies that catch his eye in the same spot where his own hole is."

Inoue briefly allowed herself to wonder why that was. She couldn't help but marvel at the irony of him doing such a thing, trying to find some connection between himself and those he came into contact with, however gruesome.

* * *

><p>After looking to the floor a moment longer, and holding onto Inoue's image, Ulquiorra slowly lifted his head to look at Lolly and Melony. "I see."<p>

He did not comment on why they had been in Inoue's cell, or even cast them so much as a threatening glare as he analyzed precisely what had taken place in his absence.

He did not linger within their frightened gaze for another second as he slowly made his way past them and left the room behind, realizing exactly where Grimmjow had taken Inoue and knowing that she had already seen the fallen form of Ichigo.

He felt the darkness rising anew within his soul as he realized that he was now altogether denied the luxury of admitting something to Inoue before she beheld his actions with her own eyes.

She would certainly never forgive him for that.

* * *

><p>Grimmjow rose then and revealed to Inoue why he had wanted her to heal Ichigo. "I'll teach him what happens…" he began with a scowl, "…when you try to steal someone else's prey."<p>

_So that was it, _Inoue reflected as everything suddenly fell into place.

Then a movement suddenly caught she and Grimmjow's attention as they both looked to Ichigo's hand as it convulsed, signaling the effectiveness of Inoue's barrier. The Espada let out a startled exhale as Orihime's eyes widened and the child gasped in astonishment.

Ichigo's eyes filled with life as his chest began to raise up and down, his lips releasing a breath of suppressed air.

Inoue turned to him, her eyes widening further and her mouth parting as she looked into the confused gaze of the Shinigami.

"Nel and…Inoue?" he breathed.

Relief flooded into Orihime's heart as a smile spread across her face, momentarily overlooking everything but the fact that she had been reunited with Ichigo and that he was alive. "Kurosaki-kun..."

"I-Itsygo!" Nel suddenly shouted as she climbed over Inoue's shoulder, her eyes moistening again.

Grimmjow then slammed his foot on the ground, his eyes glaring. "Shut up!"

Inoue quickly straightened and turned to face the Espada as he loomed in front of her.

"If you've got the time to whimper, use it to heal him faster!" he ordered.

Ichigo's face contorted in surprise. "You're...Grimmjow? Why is Inoue with you?"

"You keep quiet and let her heal you!" the Espada replied, leaning forward so that he could see him. "I want you at 100% so that we can settle things once and for all!"

Inoue suddenly remembered what she had been told a moment ago.

"Grimmjow!" she shouted, leaning towards him out of desperation rather than surprise. "You're making me heal him just for that?"

"I told you to shut up!" he hollered back, eyes infuriated and losing patience. "He was dying and I_ let_ you save his life! Quit your bitching!" He clenched his fists and straightened, "Hurry it up! Ulquiorra's gonna come back here once he figures out what's going on."

Inoue only had a moment to ponder the fact that hearing Ulquiorra's name had instilled within her the same feeling it always did…nameless elation. Despite the fact that he had left Ichigo for dead and disregarding the fact that she would be unable to pardon him for that.

"So before he does-"Grimmjow continued before he was suddenly cut off by the sound of a sonido behind him.

The sixth Espada's eyes widened and Inoue's entire core fell to the floor as she sensed his presence before even seeing him, the name replaced and harshly paling in comparison to the actual presence of the individual.

Grimmjow turned then, and Inoue found she was unable to tear her gaze away from the person who stood behind him.

Ulquiorra did not even look to Grimmjow, his eyes set and piercing into Inoue's very existence.

For an instant, Orihime forgot herself within the hold of his scrutiny, feeling the walls of the dilapidated building fade and suspend into an unknown abyss. She felt as if they were the only two people in the universe as everything about him filled her entire being with that same haunting, resilient and anonymous emotion.

He looked to her, and only her as the other occupants of the room became entirely nonexistent. His eyes captured hers and he was instantly inflicted with everything he had been suppressing. Every single thing he had felt since he had first laid his sights on her suddenly and intensely filled him all at once. The anger was accompanied by admiration, the resentment with enchantment, the hate by affection, and the confusion with desire.

He forgot that Ichigo was there, lying upon the ground and surrounded by Inoue's golden light, the hole in his chest dark and hollow, inflicted by him and signifying the embodiment of the darkness within his own soul.

He saw her hair, the inviting cerise of her strands, and he saw her eyes, lost within his and tempting him with their depths of violet. Her hands, clutched tightly together, accentuating the smooth and flawless texture of her skin, and her lips, always alluringly engaging, the vey lips that would breathe his name like no other and dance against his own, infusing a literal fire within his soul and through his veins, invigorating all of his senses to an unfathomable extent.

Everything about her was completely and painfully captivating.

Grimmjow stared at Ulquiorra but the latter didn't see him, merely continued to hold onto the fleeting connection between he and Inoue.

However, the spell was entirely broken as Grimmjow's voice shattered it. "Ulquiorra…" he stated and, though insignificant, it was enough to bring both the fourth Espada and the woman before him into reality.

Ulquiorra did not remove his eyes from Orihime but responded to the Espada at his side all the same. "What are you doing, Grimmjow?"

He walked forward, slowly and with precision. "I'm asking you a question." He then finally looked to the cerulean-haired man. "Why are you intentionally healing an enemy that I defeated?"

Grimmjow looked to him with a narrowed and listless gaze, apparently not convinced by the façade he was portraying. He then smirked and Ulquiorra stopped.

"No answer?" the fourth Espada prodded.

Inoue released an uneasy exhale and Ulquiorra's gaze instantly found hers again.

However, Inoue allowed her eyes to fall almost immediately as she remembered everything he had done.

Ulquiorra understood exactly what that small response from her conveyed but continued to observe her regardless, finding he was unable to do anything else.

She continued to withhold her attention, though she desperately fought and wavered beneath his silent study, afraid to lose herself within the depths of emerald that wordlessly awaited her. Determined to remain strong and hold fast to her resolutions, she thought urgently of Ichigo and tried to fill her heart with all thoughts that accompanied him.

"Have it your way," Ulquiorra voiced, though to whom he wasn't entirely sure. He then looked entirely to Grimmjow, "regardless, Aizen-sama has entrusted that woman to my care. Hand her over."

Grimmjow bared his teeth as he simply stared back at Ulquiorra, still not at all fooled by his act. It was so incredibly pitiful and blindingly obvious how entirely seized he was by Inoue and he was fully aware that Aizen had absolutely nothing to do with it.

"Screw that," he replied vehemently, resulting in Ulquiorra's gaze sharpening.

"What did you say?"

Grimmjow's jeer transformed into a wide grin, "What's going on?" He then looked to Ulquiorra implicitly, "You're pretty damn talkative today, aren't you, Ulquiorra?"

He then lifted a hand into the air, causing Ulquiorra's eyes to widen in astonishment in the brief moment before a cero was shot through the air.

He instantly lifted a hand and directly blocked Grimmjow's detonation, his eyes looking to him coldly as they were surrounded by an azure light.

Inoue subconsciously lifted a hand over her chest upon seeing the attack, her heart beating hard.

"Don't think I don't know, Ulquiorra!" Grimmjow continued, still not lowering his hand as Ulquiorra continued to hold it against the back of his palm.

He narrowed his gaze and the implications were conveyed before Grimmjow subtly divulged to another topic. "You're scared of fighting me."

_Was that the best he had?_ Ulquiorra pondered. _Really?_

"You're afraid I'll crush you!" Grimmjow continued on his tirade as the wind swept in through the opening in the wall. He then readied another cero, this one crimson, before firing it point blank toward the now widening eyes of the fourth Espada.

Ulquiorra jumped back, grimacing and shielding his face from the explosion of spiritual pressure.

_Was Grimmjow going to fight him over this? Why?_

Inoue inhaled sharply, momentarily blinded by the shot before she saw Ulquiorra fling the blast aside, his body safely out of its reach.

"Heh!" Grimmjow responded, "Deflected it, huh? I guess I can't take you down in one shot-"

He stopped short as Ulquiorra suddenly flash stepped behind him, finger aimed above his head. Grimmjow's eyes widened as he lifted his gaze to see the fourth Espada eye him without sentiment before promptly powering his own cero.

Inoue watched on in turmoil, torn between the two. If Ulquiorra won then that would mean no one would be left standing between he and her ability to revive Ichigo. However, if Grimmjow won…she could not even fathom such an outcome.

Grimmjow rose a hand as the shot was fired, the atmosphere glowing jade as he blocked it. Ulquiorra's eyes again widened and Grimmjow answered with another grin. The power of the attack was momentarily suspended before it expanded and exploded in a deafening display of light, striking the surrounding walls of the tower.

Ulquiorra retreated into the air, his eyes scanning the thick clouds of dust that devoured his field of vision. Grimmjow, however, found him first and reached out a hand behind the fourth Espada.

Ulquiorra immediately looked to him and spotted the smirk upon his face before he felt his coat being pulled open. He instantly lowered his gaze to the hand above his torso and let out a stifled groan of derision as his brows creased. He was rendered immobile as a tiny device was released into the void within his chest.

_This wasn't happening. _

He realized too late that it had never been Grimmjow's aim to fight, only to get him out of the way for awhile.

_Long enough for it to be too late._

His eyes then sought Inoue as a seal surrounded and contained him. He saw her eyes gazing up at him in both confusion and…anxiety?

Why was still she concerned, after everything that had happened?

"Damn," he whispered before blackness encompassed the space.

If he had never gone after the Shinigami, none of this would have happened. It appeared that fate was still not on his side.

Grimmjow stared at the empty space, verifying that his actions had been effective.

Inoue looked on in astonishment before allowing the shield she had conjured upon the firing of Ulquiorra's cero to shatter and fall at her feet.

What had happened to him? The uncertainty threatened to pull her under as she gazed at the spot where he had simply disappeared, entirely and suddenly.

She reminisced over the look in his eyes as he was being pulled into that other dimension, continuing to seek her gaze and allowing the very briefest of emotions to flit across his face.

She recognized it, and related to it.

That look was called desperation.

Grimmjow then slowly landed upon the ground in front of her, interrupting her reverie.

She looked to him as the question she so longed to ask lingered like a knife on the tip of her tongue. Her mind wondered why it was so important for her to know, while her heart expressed in a much quieter whisper that she just had to stop for a moment and allow her soul to provide the simple and fervent truth.

"What…did you do?" she asked, her voice wavering and fragile.

Grimmjow straightened and looked to her, "Aizen gave each Espada a _'Caja Negacion'_ to use as punishment for our subordinates. I used mine."

"Caja Negacion?" Inoue asked, still waiting for him to elaborate on how exactly it worked.

"It's a powerful tool that can permanently seal away normal Hollows in another dimension."

Her heart jumped until it was subsequently eased by his next statement.

"But they're not made to be used against Espada. Considering his reiatsu, we've probably got two or three hours max before he breaks free." His voice then rose, "Got it? Now hurry up and heal him!"

Inoue looked to him a moment in stunned silence before she suddenly furrowed her brows and lowered her eyes. "I don't want to."

She couldn't heal Ichigo just to allow Grimmjow the pleasure of beating him down again.

Her eyes widened, however, as the Espada's hand surrounded her throat in an instant. "I wasn't asking if you wanted to or not!" he shouted, "Heal him!"

Inoue lifted a hand over his and was silent a moment, her mind again picturing that last look Ulquiorra had given her.

"No." She replied then, firmly and without hesitance.

Grimmjow's expression became more enraged.

Inoue lifted her other hand and clutched his arm, "If I heal him, you'll just hurt Kurosaki-kun more. I won't do it!"

Ulquiorra had intentionally left Ichigo alive, she suddenly understood, but Grimmjow wouldn't.

She was far from pardoning the fourth Espada but she was able to recognize that she could retract her earlier summation that he wasn't any different from the others. He _was. _That fact was still just as true as it ever had been.

"Bitch!" Grimmjow replied in a low growl, casting a chill through her chest. He then tightened his hold around her neck and Inoue struggled to breath within his grasp.

A hand then shot out and grasped the Espada's arm before they both turned to see Ichigo, head lowered and body doubled over as he supported himself solely on that hold.

Ichigo struggled to breathe as Grimmjow's glare eased into a look of acknowledgement.

"Let her go," Kurosaki ordered, weak but resolutely. He then poured all of his strength into tearing Grimmjow's hand away from Inoue, thrusting it aside as she was set loose.

Inoue stood motionless behind him, hands suspended in the air. "Kuro-"

"Inoue!" he cut her off flatly, before straightening. "Please heal me."

Inoue gasped, her eyes widening in response to his request.

"Fix my injuries," he continued, staring back at her before looking to Grimmjow and at the arm that was now burning with the infliction of his reiatsu. "And…his too."

"Bad idea," the Espada replied before Inoue could. "I don't need your pity."

"It's not pity," Ichigo corrected. "You want us to fight on equal footing, right?" He paused before allowing his eyes to drift down to Grimmjow's scorched arm. "Or do you want to save that burn for an excuse when you lose?"

Grimmjow's narrowed gaze erupted then before he hastily drew his sword, screaming and allowing it to clash against Ichigo's.

The Espada grinned in satisfaction, "good stuff! All right, let's have us a fair fight!"

They separated and continued to stare one another down, determination set on each of their features.

"You're on!" Ichigo replied, resulting in a smirk from his opponent.

They both then looked to Inoue expectantly as she gazed at Ichigo anxiously. She had just been able to revive him and now he was going to make her watch as he was dealt even more damage.

On top of that...her eyes drifted to Grimmjow…he wanted her to heal the wounds of his enemy. The very same man who had so cruelly sealed Ulquiorra away for the sole purpose of being able to fight Ichigo without interruption.

She outright detested him for that. He had once seemed like a decent individual but now he was nothing but a bloodthirsty predator, eyes set on one of the people she loved most.

And Ichigo…her eyes rested on him once more. He was protecting her but, more than that, he wanted to prove his strength in battle. The realization was somewhat staggering as she regarded him in a way she never had before.

"_This 'protector' you speak of merely longs for a more powerful means to sustain itself, simply because weaklings could never satiate its immense hunger."_

However, her heart softened as she saw him kneel down in front of that small hollow child before tenderly placing a hand atop her head. "Hey!" he stated gently, "Don't make that face, Nel!"

"Itsy-Itsygo!" she gurgled through tears.

He then looked behind him and caught Inoue's gaze. "Don't worry," he stated before standing and turning to face her. "I'll definitely win!"

Inoue faltered a moment, her eyes widening slightly, before she slowly lifted her hands and surrounded both he and Grimmjow within her healing aura, allowing all of her energy to flow through and willing herself to completely trust in Ichigo.

Minutes later, as her light faded and the pixie's returned to clips within her hair, the child cried out to Ichigo one last time before he turned and offered her a patient smile.

Inoue watched him approach the Espada as he slowly canted his head to one side. "Let's take this elsewhere, Grimmjow."

"Sure," his opponent responded before they both shot into the air, casting a wave of wind and sand over Nel and Inoue, who shielded their faces in response.

As the dust settled, Orihime lifted her gaze and set her eyes on the ascending figure of Ichigo. "Kurosaki-kun…"

She watched him pull his sword and surround it with his black and crimson reiatsu, summoning his Bankai and staring at Grimmjow decisively.

"Let's begin!" The Espada shouted before they met with a clash of steel.

Inoue couldn't see what was happening but watched as the towers in the distance responded to their combined and overpowering spiritual pressure.

"Itsygo! Itsygo!" Nel cried, holding her head.

Inoue looked to the girl before walking over and sitting down beside her. She rested a hand upon the mask that covered her head and offered an empathetic smile.

"It's okay," she consoled, reverting her gaze to the traces the two fighters were leaving. "Kurosaki-kun will win."

"You dunno that!" Nel replied obstinately.

Inoue looked to her and closed her eyes, the smile widening. "But he said, _"I'll definitely win",_ remember?"

Nel stood and waved her arms frantically. "Everyone…Everyone says stuff like dat! And den they lose! Ya can't tell who's gonna win from dat!"

Smile fading slowly, Inoue observed the child and wondered at what horrific things she had seen and experienced that would convince her to believe that. Ulquiorra had believed in something along those lines as well.

"You think so?" she asked softly.

"Yeah! Itsygo's prob'ly scared! People always say dere gonna win when dey're scared!"

Her outburst caught Inoue off guard a moment as she involuntarily thought back to when Ulquiorra had fought Nnoitra, and at his announcement, even upon seeing the resurrected form of the Espada whose power then far outweighed his own, that he had no chance of defeating him.

Had he been scared too?

Recovering from her lapse within contemplation then, Inoue looked to Nel with an answering smile. "Kurosaki-kun wouldn't do that."

Nel's eyes widened as she listened.

Inoue continued as she gazed absently at the sands before her, a small and absent smile gracing her features. "Kurosaki-kun doesn't try to hide the fact that he's scared by saying he's going to win."

Nel watched her, silent and expectant.

"Kurosaki-kun is a kind person," she stated, simultaneously reminding herself of that fact as well convincing the child beside her. "Whenever he says something like that, he says it like he's swearing an oath."

She pictured a scene, far within the recesses of her memory, of Ichigo from long ago. "He did that when he appeared in front of me as a Shinigami for the first time, too."

"_If you want to kill Inoue, you're going to have to kill me first!"_

Ichigo's voice resounded through her head before it transitioned into another memory altogether:

_Ulquiorra straightened and regarded Nnoitra a moment before placing a hand on his hilt. He hesitated another second before slowly drawing his sword and suspending it towards his opponent. "So be it. Let her go."_

Inoue was paralyzed within that event for a moment before she quickly recovered and returned to Ichigo.

"And when we went to Soul Society in order to save Kuchiki-san!" Her smile grew, "he's always been like that. I'm sure he's trying to reassure us, too, but even more so, he's making a promise to himself."

She looked to the sky and stood, "I think he makes an oath and says it loud to make sure it will actually happen."

Turning to the child, she clutched her hands over her heart fondly. "That's why it'll be okay." She lowered her hands and clenched them tightly, fervently. "If Kurosaki-kun says he's going to win, he definitely will!"

Nel looked to her, sorrow gone and hope radiating from her face. "Really?"

"So," Inoue responded after a nod, "let's wait…" her hands trembled and she clenched them tighter. "…and just believe in him."

As she looked over the tower and watched the battle ensue for countless and painful moments, Inoue found that her heart had not slowed at all since Ulquiorra's battle with Grimmjow. Time progressed and her eyes desperately tried to follow the movements of the pair.

Everything was monotonous before she suddenly spotted a familiar, azure light, Ichigo directly within its path. Her insides lurched in response as his body fell past her line of sight to reveal that the cero was actually aimed carelessly toward she and Nel.

Ichigo turned his head to face her, eyes wide and watched as he mouthed her name in sudden realization of what was about to take place.

Inoue looked to him breathlessly a moment before he turned to the Espada. "Grimmjow, wait!"

"Gran Rey Cero!" The Espada proclaimed in response before firing it without hesitation.

As the deadly attack sped toward her, Inoue's eyes widened and she inhaled sharply watching the light as if it was in slow motion. Her mind instantly conjured the image of Ulquiorra, and his eyes and expression were so vivid that it caused her heart to still in response.

Within the next instant she was momentarily blinded as sand mingled with light greeted her. However, no impact came and as the dust cleared she saw only Ichigo, still standing and unharmed after taking the full onslaught without even raising his sword.

How was that possible?

"Kurosaki-kun…" she began cautiously.

"Itsygo," Nel echoed behind her.

Inoue watched him carefully, heart pounding loudly within her chest as her hair swayed relentlessly through the wind. She clutched her hands together and her eyes widened before he finally turned to face her.


	27. Sweet and Calming

Chapter XXVII

Sweet and Calming

_"Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent."_

_-Victor Hugo_

Nothing but darkness greeted him, with not a glimmer of light. His eyes were wide open yet nothing at all greeted them, nothing but the endless black. Within his mind he pictured that final look from her, that final cast of her eyes, capturing his before he was sealed within the realm of containment.

His greatest concern was that Ichigo would somehow find a way to defeat Grimmjow and take Inoue for good. Despite his ability to eventually find her again and bring her back, he knew that all her comrades and Soul Society would be expecting it this time; he wouldn't be able to fool them twice.

Clutching a hand he brought it to the hilt of his sword, feeling the weight of his fate surrounding and holding his soul within an inescapable vice. He allowed his eyes to close and he relaxed his hand as he pictured her, always so alluring and entrancing.

He then released all quarantine and allowed his memories of her to soar uninhibited through his mind. He felt the slightest lift at one corner of his mouth as he recalled a particularly pleasant collection of moments, the entire scene filling him and initiating both nostalgia and attachment. It had been the night before leading her out onto the terrace and, upon recalling the scene, he felt a very slight glow of the familiar warmth that had at one time always accompanied her presence…

_Ulquiorra returned to her cell, carrying within his hand a practice katana, his eyes set on Inoue as she stood from the couch to face him, her face eager yet somewhat anxious. _

_He stopped in front of her, regarding her expression silently a moment before slowly lifting the weapon and holding it out to her. Inoue looked to the sword wordlessly for several breaths before reaching out and carefully grasping the hilt. _

_Ulquiorra withdrew his hand before placing it upon his own hilt, "alright, let's see if you were actually paying attention."_

_Inoue lifted her gaze and met his nervously. "U-Ulquiorra-kun, I don't think I can do this. I'm not going to be able to go against you after just one lesson."_

_Amusement crossed his features then and he simply looked to her with a gleam of mirth within his eyes. "Don't concern yourself about that, Orihime," he began, "I'll restrain myself from going all out with you."_

"_Oh," she replied, before looking to her sword and clutching it just slightly tighter. She trusted him and yet she knew that sometimes people got hurt doing this sort of thing. On top of that, she knew that she was going to look foolish and that embarrassed her somewhat. _

_Seeing the blush creep across her skin, Ulquiorra shook his head. "Orihime, don't be self-conscious, I swear I won't laugh at you, no matter what."_

"_Laugh at me?" she smiled faintly, "you never laugh, Ulquiorra-kun and so that doesn't really mean as much coming from you."_

"_All the same," he replied, before drawing his sword and suspending it toward her. "I won't."_

_Slowly lifting her blade to face his, Inoue eyed him nervously still. Then, as he raised his Zanpakuto to clash against hers, she suddenly jumped back, cringing._

"_Aah!" she cried, opening her eyes then to see that he was simply watching her silently. _

"_Woman," he started, taking a step toward her. "Nothing even happened."_

"_I know," she replied, lifting a hand to her hair, "I just got really uneasy all the sudden."_

"_It will be fine," he stated, lifting his sword once more. "Be at ease."_

"_I'll try," she replied, nodding and very slowly raising her weapon. "Just don't hurt me okay?"_

"_I won't hurt you," he replied, before tilting his head. "And even if you somehow managed to inflict yourself with a wound you have the ability to reject so," he moved toward her, "don't concern yourself about it."_

"_Right," Inoue replied, taking a deep breath before adjusting her stance the way he had told her to._

_As he watched her position herself he recognized the confidence and determination slowly starting to build within her gaze and felt a trace of something unnamable course through his veins and within his chest. _

_Was that how it felt to be proud of someone?_

"_Begin," he ordered gently before slowly lifting his sword and meeting her katana in a soft and echoing clatter of steel._

_She flinched only slightly before turning her wrist to block his next offensive thrust. _

_He continued to advance toward her, eying her carefully and making sure to keep his lunges contained and guarded. He couldn't ever recall a time in which he had dueled with anyone so gently, yet so invigoratingly. _

_Her hair danced around her face as he watched her breathing become more rapid with every flourish she executed against him. Her face was glowing and aflame with excitement and he found himself becoming mesmerized by the sight of her. _

_She was fascinating every single response from his senses, as he observed and dedicated her image to memory. There was something very stimulating about her in that moment and though he couldn't quite determine why that was so, he found himself admiring everything from the way she held the blade, assuredly and yet somehow empathetically, to the insightful and careful responses within her eyes. She entirely inspired and intrigued him and as he watched her he found himself pondering that perhaps Inoue had a spirit made for fighting, deep within the recesses of her soul, yet powerful and obvious all the same._

_Seeing her use his methods and fulfill the stances he used within battle instilled an overwhelming sensation of completeness and as he watched her subtly smile, looking to him with an entirely devoted glow, he nearly faltered and had to grip his sword tighter to keep from letting it clash to the floor._

_She was mirroring exactly what he had told her and as he then created an opening for her to take, he felt immense pleasure as she did not hesitate to both recognize and take advantage of it. _

_The touch of her katana met his chest and he lowered his sword in surrender, as he continued to gaze down at her surprised and beaming face._

"_I-I won?" She looked to him in doubt._

_He closed his eyes before nodding and returning his gaze to her. "Yes, see? You were able to defeat me after all."_

_She straightened before shaking her head at him. "You let me."_

"_Doesn't matter," he replied, "you listened to what I told you and thus emerged victorious. You've passed the first stage of weapon mastery."_

_She smiled, "really?"_

_He nodded, before walking toward her, lifting a hand to her face. "You were my finest opponent and I don't have any regrets falling to your blade."_

_Frowning then, she shook her head. "Don't say that, Ulquiorra-kun, you'll make me feel sad."_

_He fell silent then as he allowed her to completely capture his attention, her eyes still holding their willpower and enthusiasm and her face flushed and radiant with exhilaration, burning against the skin of his hand. _

"_What's the name of your Zanpakuto?" her soft voice greeted his ears and he blinked before shaking his head._

"_What was that?"_

_Smiling, Inoue tilted her head slightly. "Your Zanpakuto. What's its name?"_

_Ulquiorra looked to his sword silently before lifting it and removing his hand from her face to run it along the blade. "Murciélago."_

_Inoue looked to the sword and her smile grew slightly. "Murciélago," she whispered, prompting Ulquiorra to lift his eyes and look to her as the name escaped her lips._

_She met his gaze, "Do you have a release? Zanpakuto always seem to have one."_

_He wondered why she was suddenly interested but answered all the same. "Yes, all the Espada do."_

_Nodding, she looked to the sword once more. "I would like to see it. Will you show me sometime?"_

_His breath caught as he observed her, not entirely sure why he was reacting in such a way, yet knowing that it was the first time anyone had left him feeling entirely breathless. He didn't know how to respond or even seem able to ponder what she had just asked him. _

"_Ulquiorra-kun?" she lifted her gaze and her expression became concerned when he didn't answer._

_His entire core had stilled, and all he saw was her eyes staring into his own. What in the world was she? The Espada's release was something to be feared, so much so that Aizen had forbidden the higher ranks from executing it within the premise of Las Noches. Did she harbor no terror of him at all? She was defying nature itself in asking him to show her such a thing._

_Inoue's mouth parted as her anxiety grew before she slowly lifted her hand and placed it against his face, "Ulquiorra-kun."_

_He instantly regained awareness at her touch and as he blinked, he allowed his eyes to drift briefly to his Zanpakuto before returning them to hers. "Orihime," he replied, before slowly sheathing his blade and wordlessly regarding her._

_Inoue watched as he replaced his sword, before closing her eyes and removing her hand. However, as it was falling, he reached up and caught it, prompting her gaze to widen as she again looked to him. _

_Her hand suspended within his grasp, Ulquiorra eyed her intently. "Why? Why do you want to see that?"_

_Inoue's mouth parted before she summoned the subtlest of smiles. "I-" she blushed furiously, "I want to know you, Ulquiorra-kun. I want to know everything about you. Even if it might frighten me, that is an important part of who you are and so…" she struggled to hold his gaze, "and so I know that I will be able to accept it because I want to appreciate all of you."_

_His eyes widened slightly and his hold gently tightened over her hand before he lifted his other arm and allowed his fingers to trace the contours of her face. "What are you?"_

"_Eh?" She asked, confused. "I'm…" she furrowed her brows "what do you mean?"_

_He then pulled her hand against his chest and clutched it close. "Exactly what I said," he replied. "I've never come across anything like you. You're entirely unique."_

_She lowered her eyes, "Ulquiorra-kun…I'm just myself. I'm not all that outstanding."_

"_Not outstanding?" he asked before shaking his head. "Don't delude yourself like that, woman." His gaze deepened within hers. "It's outstanding enough that you are standing here, with Aizen's fourth Espada, rendering him entirely useless within your presence." _

_Inoue's blush returned and she found she still could not return her eyes to his as she instead gazed harder at the floor. _

"_Orihime," his smooth voice called to her, embraced her. She hesitated a moment before slowly lifting her eyes to his and holding them there as best she could._

_He lowered his head and leaned it against hers, his eyes holding her still. "Yes," he whispered delicately._

"_Yes?" she asked, breathless._

"_I will show you sometime."_

_Inoue's heart pounded within her chest and she summoned a smile, trying to find the appropriate words to answer him with. "I can't wait."_

_They were silent for a moment before he softly allowed a faint, but apparent chuckle._

_Eyes instantly widening, Inoue lifted her head and stepped back to see his face as he regarded her curiously._

"_You just laughed, Ulquiorra-kun," she stated in disbelief. "I heard it."_

"_Inoue," he replied, expression instantly turning incredulous as he lowered his hand from her face. _

_She then rushed forward excitedly before removing her hand from his, allowing the katana to fall from the other, and thrusting both arms unceremoniously about his neck before placing a firm kiss on his cheek. He held his face to the side and refrained from looking to her, withholding a return embrace. _

_Grinning, she leaned her head down against his neck. "That makes me so happy." _

_Allowing his eyes to look to her then, he relaxed and brought one arm up around her waist, holding the other securely within his pocket. "Well, I suppose its fine then."_

"_I'm going to make you laugh every day now," Inoue stated, suddenly looking to him resolutely, "and I'm also going to make you blush sometime. I don't like to be the only one."_

"_Alright well…" Ulquiorra began before suddenly lifting her in both arms, the amusement returning to his face. "I believe it's time for you to go to bed."_

"_Ulquiorra-kun!" Inoue exclaimed, another scarlet blush gracing her cheeks as she was defenselessly carried over to the sofa. "Let me down!"_

_She struggled uselessly before he suddenly stopped and looked to her as held her above the couch. "You're the only one blushing."_

_Flush deepening, Orihime frowned. "You're so mean to me sometimes."_

"_Am I?" he asked then, entertained. "I never thought so."_

"_Well…" Inoue lowered her eyes, "…no."_

"_Desperately resorting to lying now, are you?" Ulquiorra shook his head before gently setting her down and sitting beside her._

"_I wasn't lying," Inoue stated as she turned to face him. _

_Ulquiorra didn't respond, simply proceeded to remove his scabbard and set it against the couch before moving to lie next to her. He said nothing for several moments as he merely regarded her face within the darkness, irradiated only by moonlight. _

_Inoue smiled as she shifted slightly closer, "so, we are going outside tomorrow?"_

_He silently nodded._

"_I'm really looking forward to it," she continued, "it's been awhile since we've done that."_

_Another lengthy pause ensued before he turned on his side and wrapped his arms around her, holding her gaze. "I have a feeling you won't be disappointed."_

_Her smile widened before she lifted a hand and began to play at the strands of hair framing his face. "It's gotten longer," she observed softly._

"_That tends to happen with hair," he replied, somewhat amused, yet entirely lured by her ever invigorating proximity._

_She briefly frowned before allowing her smile to recommence as she continued to caress the tresses surrounding his features. Inoue found that, in that moment, he was undeniably the most beautiful person she had ever beheld. The striking contrast of his dark hair against the pale white of his skin, all accentuated by the keen and vibrant green of his eyes. _

_Her thoughts then assumed a new direction as she pictured a harmonious melody, surrounding the air silently like an echo throughout her memory. _

"_Ulquiorra-kun," she began, "have you ever heard what music sounds like?"_

_He seemed somewhat confused by the turn in discussion before recovering and very subtly shaking his head. "No, I don't believe I have."_

"_Oh…" she replied, lowering her gaze briefly. "That's too bad; I know you would like it."_

_As her eyes returned to his, he noticed the glow of another fond recollection upon her features. "Can I hear it?"_

"_Eh?" Inoue looked to him, her face flushing. "What do you mean?"_

"_From what I know of the subject," he began, "you have the capability to produce music through your voice. Thus, you could let me hear it."_

"_Oh," she replied. "Well, I'm not very good at singing."_

"_Sometimes," he began. "When you think I'm asleep, I hear you softly humming and… I like the way it sounds."_

_Her blush deepened, "you _have_ heard music then, Ulquiorra-kun."_

"_Faintly," he corrected. _

_She looked away and then down at her hands before lifting her gaze to his, her blush still prominent._

_The intensity of his features then softened before he proceeded to pull her closer, holding her against his chest and lifting one arm to cradle the back of her head. "It's alright, you don't have to."_

_She closed her eyes as the warmth of him radiated throughout, and smiled gently as she inhaled the scent that was exclusively his. She thought of a song her brother used to sing with a fond smile and, faltering another moment, she felt her heart pounding before beginning in a very gentle, and subtle whisper._

"_Haru, Haru," her voice softly filled the silence, her eyes closed and her face glowing with a rosy blush. "Springtime in my heart, springtime in my heart. Sakura… Sakura…_ _Up against the clear blue sky, Mist-like petals gently sigh…_ _Fill the air with signs of spring…"_

_She pictured all the cherry trees at home, as her brother's face presented itself, followed by the sound of his soothing voice, always filling her with comfort. She felt a tear slip from her eye as she remembered him. "Come with me, come with me… See the sweet Sakura trees bloom…"_

_Her voice surrounded Ulquiorra, and as he closed his eyes, the sweet and alluring sound alleviated and shattered all the remaining walls that had surrounded his mind. He completely embraced all that she was, and allowed her soft, melodic whispers to resonate unhindered into whatever soul he still contained. Abandoned and defenseless to her every impulse and desire, Ulquiorra felt both entirely vulnerable and incredibly inspired to allow for that new part of himself to rise and present itself, seeking to learn from her and eventually become somehow similar to who she was._

"_Sakura, Sakura…In the fields and villages as far as you can see. Is it a mist, or clouds?" Her voice grew fainter as another tear slid down her cheek, marveling in the solace Ulquiorra provided and the fact that he was somehow able to ease the pain the memory of her brother instilled. She clutched at the garment over his chest, as she desperately held onto the security he offered._

"_Fragrant in the morning sun, dancing in the air…Come with me, come with me…See the sweet Sakura trees bloom…" Her voice was so hushed that she ended the song in not but a breath, "Sakura, Sakura…"_

_As silence resumed, the echo of her music continued and as Ulquiorra looked to her, he saw the tears upon her face before lifting a hand to halt their fall. Inoue smiled as she lifted her eyes to his, feeling the flare of all her emotions burning intensely through her chest. _

"_Are you sad?"_

_She inhaled unsteadily before shaking her head, "no. Not at all." Her smiled widened, "I'm…so happy that you're here with me, Ulquiorra-kun."_

_He observed her wordlessly a moment before leaning forward and gently capturing her lips in a solemn, unhurried kiss. He lifted his hand through her hair and closed his eyes, completely arrested within the hold of her caress._

_Inoue's heart stilled as he kissed her, her entire persona subdued within the fold of his embrace. Everything about the Espada confused and relentlessly inspired her with feelings both unprecedented and unidentified. _

_And, for both, the unfamiliarity only deepened the draw they each instilled over the other._

_He opened his eyes as they parted and looked to her warmly, "what was your brother like?"_

_She was startled at first that he had perceived the meaning behind her tears before remembering that observation was a strong trait of his. "He…" she lowered her gaze briefly. "He was always very thoughtful and kind to those around him. He took care of me after everything that happened with our parents…" She met his eyes, "some things about him remind me a lot of you."_

"_Like what?"_

_Inoue smiled, "he was very intelligent and perceptive and never did anything without purpose. He was a very strong and sincere person, and I looked up to him more than anyone else."_

"_You're not saying that you look up to me, are you?"_

_A blush found its way to her face, in what felt like the thousandth time that night, before she nodded. "Yes, I look up to you. I want to be more sure of myself and have the ability to see things in different ways. I want to be strong and devoted and have the ability to protect those important to me."_

"_Inoue," he began, looking to her almost sadly. "There isn't anything about me that you should strive to possess. I am but a shadow to the light you carry. I'm envious of everything about you."_

_Inoue was silent before she slowly leaned against his chest, closing her eyes and allowing her smile to linger. "I think that there are beautiful qualities in everyone, even and…especially in you, Ulquiorra-kun."_

_Ulquiorra didn't respond, simply held her near as he allowed his eyes to close as well. When he felt her breaths ease and her tense frame relax, he permitted his body to do the same. "Goodnight, Orihime."_

Inoue exhaled sharply as she saw the mask upon Ichigo's face, and the amber glow of his eyes set in black. Her heart altogether stopped as she recognized the nature of his appearance and her mind tried to grasp at the reality of it all.

_Kurosaki-kun is a….hollow? _Her breath suddenly caught._ Just like…Ulquiorra?_

"Sorry," Ichigo's voice greeted her ears, though it was different somehow. It sounded as if it were surfacing from the depths of water.

"Are you scared?" he asked.

Inoue's eyes widened and she clutched herself closer, recalling the times in which Ulquiorra had asked her the same thing.

"I guess telling you to relax won't help much when I look like this," he continued evenly. "But let me say it anyway. You can relax now."

Inoue blinked, but found that her entire form was otherwise immobilized as her mind continued to try and connect her perception with logic. Why couldn't she seem to accept what she was seeing? Ulquiorra was a hollow too and so, why could she readily receive all that he was and not Ichigo?

Was it because they were now more similar? During the time she had spent away from Kurosaki she knew that she had been comparing he to the Espada and coming to the conclusion that they were worlds apart, and entirely separate from one another.

She had always idolized and placed Ichigo upon a pedestal of complete and unabashed admiration. Was that why it was so difficult to accept? Because of the sudden realization that he wasn't the perfect, untarnished individual she had always imagined him to be?

Her entire being rebelled against it, while at the same time chastising her for not offering him consolation and approval.

"I'll finish this quickly," Ichigo proclaimed to her.

As Inoue continued to stare upon the man she had always loved in horror, Grimmjow's triumphant laugh filled the air. "Yes! This is what I've been waiting for!"

Though her focus was on Kurosaki, she saw within her peripheral, the sixth Espada lift his Zanpakuto, allowing it to assume a cerulean shade and announcing his release.

A wave of fear swept through her but it was contained and suppressed by the numbing infliction of her thoughts.

"Inoue," Ichigo began, his tone warning. "Use your Santen Kesshun to guard yourself and Nel from here on. Don't take it down, even for a second!"

The wind and sand danced through her hair, as her gaze continued to remain locked on Ichigo. A moment passed in which she desperately tried to surface and free her halted heart.

"Now!"

She inhaled uneasily, "S-Santen Kesshun, I reject!"

Her triangular shield formed in front of her and she held herself closely as Grimmjow's new form began to reveal itself through the settling dust. His hair had lengthened, his fingers molded into claws, a tail had grown and cat-like ears were revealed beside his newly shaped mask.

He growled then and revealed a set of prominent fangs before a large and powerful wave was released, which was followed by he quickly ascending to inflict a powerful kick to Ichigo's sternum, sending him flying back into the towers behind.

Inoue's blood froze as Grimmjow continued to attack Kurosaki, his movements brutally strong and overpowering. Destruction surrounded the pair and the rubble filled the air loudly and with bone shattering intensity.

The clash of steel resounded through the air and, as Inoue briefly allowed her eyes to wander east, she sighted four figures upon one of the balconies of Las Noches. She recognized the reiatsu of one, Hallibel, and surmised the others belonged to her escort.

She returned her gaze to the dueling pair and flinched as Grimmjow sent a powerful thrust with his fist to Ichigo's chest before running him into a tower. However, she saw Kurosaki grab the sixth Espada's hand when he attempted another punch before shoving him back and slashing him across the chest.

Inoue's eyes widened. When had he gotten so frighteningly powerful?

Ichigo seemed to claim the upper hand then, successfully thwarting Grimmjow's attacks before, after several intense moments, he was sent crashing to the sand below, which was followed by an uproar of laughter from the cat-like Espada.

However, she felt a mild swell of relief as Ichigo used the swirling dust to cloak his sword as he reached up and sent a slash across Grimmjow's arm when the Espada reached him.

The two separated for a collection of seconds before they both turned and again met, then completely shrouded by sand, shielding them from the view of Inoue and Nel.

"I-Itsygo," the child stammered, nervous and concerned.

Inoue stared at the scene in continued detachment, "Kurosaki-kun…"

The sea of dust cleared and she watched as they received and dealt one attack after another, neither seeming to gain any advancement over the other.

"Is that really Kurosaki-kun?" Inoue mused aloud, her entire demeanor as stone and her eyes somehow objective and wavering.

His spiritual pressure equaled that of Grimmjow and even…Ulquiorra, sometimes fluctuating greater even. How was that possible? What did that mask represent? He wasn't the Kurosaki Ichigo she remembered.

The Shinigami was then sent flying backwards, and as he raced up the tower beneath Inoue, Grimmjow suddenly stopped and released a collection of emerald objects, casting them up toward Ichigo who maneuvered out of the way before altogether halting when he realized that they were being sent to the pair above.

"Inoue!" He shouted before immediately moving to block the path of the assailing weapons.

He received the loud and painful blows, as blood sputtered from his mouth, contrasting the blue of the sky and causing Inoue's mind to focus on what he had just done as he was suspended and facing her.

"I-Itsygo!" Nel exclaimed again, perplexed.

"Kurosaki-kun…" Inoue added, as she watched his unmoving form from beyond the glow of her shield.

"I'm okay," he offered, breathless. "This is nothing."

He lifted his head then, his golden eyes greeting hers and attempting to offer some semblance of consolation.

Inoue, however, cringed slightly at the sight of his mask and her eyes widened in response. She still could not seem to accept the reality that he was indeed the Kurosaki she had always known.

Her brother's face suddenly flashed and consumed the façade of Ichigo, the picture resounding like lightening through her mind and causing her heart to plummet from within her chest. Why was such a vision suddenly greeting her? Why was it scaring her?

Ulquiorra had never scared her, and she had never felt a chill run across her skin within his presence. However…

As she gazed upon Ichigo she pondered that perhaps the difference was merely the fact that she had never associated the Shinigami with the hollow. That he was human, like her, and altogether good and without the taint of evil.

Her brother had been human too, and seeing him within the form of a beast had been shattering. Likewise, seeing Ichigo, someone never presented to her in such a way, was equivalently paralyzing. Unlike Ulquiorra, whom she had always known as encompassing such a nature.

Ichigo's eyes then seemed to waver within hers as he recognized the fear and impartiality on her face before he suddenly turned and sped downward to greet his opponent.

Inoue exhaled sharply as she clutched at one arm and allowed her eyes to follow the black cloak of the hollowed Shinigami. She desperately fought against herself and tried to open her heart to the one she had sworn five lifetimes to.

She saw him land softly upon the banks of the white desert, already worn out and gasping for air as Grimmjow leered before him. The two stood motionlessly for several moments, before they again met in an encompassing wave of sand.

She could no longer see their movements, and Inoue found that her face was slowly starting to feel and attach to reality again, though her insides continued to remain numb and unreceptive.

_I can't be afraid_, she relentlessly chanted, her gaze narrowing slightly as she tried to see Ichigo for the man she knew him to be. She clutched her arm closer as her heart began to pound loudly through her being, allowing the blood to resume its flow within her veins.

_I can't…_, she told herself again as the image of the hollowed form of her brother again echoed across her mind, which was followed by the concealment of Ichigo from a moment ago. She gasped and her eyes briefly widened and faltered before she lowered her head and shut them tight. _…be afraid._

She again envisioned Ichigo, when she had first seen the mask upon his face. _When I think of those eyes, it feels like Kurosaki-kun's turned into a completely different person._

Her hair fell around her face and her eyes remained closed as she grasped at anything she could to remain surfaced. _Like Kurosaki-kun's eyes can't see me at all._

Opening her eyes then and lifting her head only slightly, she continued to gaze at the sand below. _They're just like Onii-chan's on that night. _

She remembered the dark vortex that had opened from within the wall above her bed before the vision of her brother's dark and clawed hand tore through, which was followed by the rest of his frightening form as the face of the one she had always looked up to most lifted and swallowed her gaze within his crimson glare.

She had felt him grab hold of her and begin to extinguish the air from her lungs as she helplessly attempted to escape from him.

_Kurosaki-kun! _She held herself tightly, trying to contain all the devastated pieces of her emotions.

The battle raged on and all she could hear was the hollowed outbursts and answering clashes of steel, continuing to fill the air cruelly and relentlessly.

"E-even with his mask, Itsygo's still gettin' pushed around…" Nel observed softly after several moments. "Back in his fight wit Dordonii-sama and den wit Ulquiorra-sama, Itsygo always beated everyone up when he put his mask on. Itsygo was always invinstible when he put his mask on. But now…Itsygo's getting beated up!"

Nel then looked to up to see that Inoue was hunched over and clutching herself closely, her eyes closed and her breaths seeming to escape her lips haggardly.

_Ulquiorra…Kun…_ Inoue pondered upon hearing his name uttered from the child's mouth. He had fought Ichigo, he had fought him while he wore that mask and…Ichigo had been more powerful.

A collection of memories took her mind then, all comprising that fourth Espada and instilling nameless and painfully profound emotions. Her heart surged beneath the weight of her recollections and she desperately summoned all of her willpower to withhold from releasing the scream that resounded through her mind in response to all she had been dealt.

Was he going through the same thing? Did he even continue to think of her?

Kurosaki and Ulquiorra…she didn't know what to think of either one of them now.

"G-Go, Itsygo!" Nel suddenly shouted, determined.

Inoue immediately surfaced and opened her eyes as she looked to the child beside her.

"Go, Itsygo!" she repeated before suddenly turning to Inoue fiercely. "C'mon, what's wit you? You should cheer for him, too!"

"Huh?" Inoue replied, exhaling sharply and straightening as she looked to the child in astonishment.

"_Huh_?" Nel mocked, "Don't say _'Huh?_'! Itsygo's out dere fightin' for you!"

Inoue gasped again as Nel continued. "Why're ya acting like yer afraid of Itsygo? Didn't you say Itsygo's a nice person? Well, yer right! Nel tinks he's nice, too!"

A brief silence followed before Nel's next proclamation, which sent a resounding chorus of the fourth Espada's echoed name to course unrepressed through Inoue's mind. "Itsygo's so nice, when he heard Ulquiorra-sama say yer name, he charged right at him!"

_He…said my name?_

Inoue's eyes widened and she had to strain to hear all that the child was trying to tell her.

"Itsygo is a human! But den he became a Shinigami, an' even put on dat mask and used dat dangerous power! There's no way Itsygo isn't gettin' hurt! He's gotta be sufferin'!"

_Suffering…_Inoue pondered, still thinking on Ulquiorra. _Is he suffering too?_

"But Itsygo is usin' his powers and getting injured all 'cuz he's fightin' for you!"

Inoue's breaths began to even, and her mind started to refocus as her heart continued to resonate within her chest, carrying with it the somehow sweet and calming sound of the name that always served to subdue and level her erratic feelings.

It was so strange…that he was the reason she could now seem to regain her composure in the face of her fear and instability.

"What's-! What's gonna happen if ya don't cheer for Itsygo?"

Inoue's eyes widened at the little hollow's declaration as she momentarily stilled within time, sight and sound somehow distant as she stood at the final precipice between acceptance and denial. Blinking, she averted her gaze to the left, focusing on the battling pair.

_That's right _She pondered, thinking then of the window within her cell and of the moon beyond. _At first I came here because I wanted to protect everyone. I thought I'd hardened my resolve. _She saw Ulquiorra, standing before her as he revealed that which had instilled her with so many different emotions. _But when I heard Kurosaki-kun and everyone came to save me, somewhere deep in my heart, I was so happy._

She again thought of Ichigo. _When I saw that mask and Kurosaki-kun's eyes, and how they looked like Onii-chan's that night, I got scared. I even thought that he may not have come here to save me after all. _

She realized then that, from the moment Ichigo had announced he was going to battle Grimmjow, she had been considering the words Ulquiorra had so long ago instilled…the words that had only continued to haunt further as Ichigo's mask was revealed.

"_This 'protector' you speak of merely longs for a more powerful means to sustain itself, simply because weaklings could never satiate its immense hunger."_

However, he had been wrong. He was still just as wrong as he was when she had first heard him speak those words to her.

_But I was wrong…too. Everyone came to save me…Even though they didn't have to! I- _She closed her eyes and thought again of her brother. _I'm not afraid of Kurosaki-kun. But I'm afraid that Kurosaki-kun will…_

She shook her head and then rushed forward, peering over the ledge to see Ichigo being thrown back into the tower beneath her. She watched as he weakly knelt before the confident Espada, his entire body trembling and exhausted.

"Don't die," she stated softly, then surprised to see that Ichigo had somehow been able to hear her.

_Don't ever die Ulquiorra-kun…_

If she could say that to _him_ she could say the same to Ichigo.

"Don't die, Kurosaki-kun!" She shouted desperately. She had already lost Ulquiorra and didn't feel she would ever be able to regain his trust or affection. She decided then that she was not going to lose Ichigo too, no matter what.

Ichigo turned to face her, his mouth parted and his eyes reaching into hers as she allowed her entire heart to accept him and all that he actually was. Half of the mask had already broken but his eyes retained their hollow appearance.

"You don't have to win," Inoue muttered, as tears suddenly fell from her eyes, tracing her face and illuminating her features. "You don't have to keep trying!"

She clutched her hands over her pained chest. "Just don't get hurt anymore, please!"

Ichigo watched her silently a moment before his eyes widened upon hearing Grimmjow's approach.

"Kurosaki!" The Espada shouted, his teeth bared in a gruesome grin.

Ichigo did not turn from Inoue as he easily reached up and blocked Grimmjow's attack with a single hand. He clutched tighter before then turning and meeting the slits of his opponent's eyes. "Sorry, Grimmjow. I can't afford to take any more injuries."

Inoue then watched as Kurosaki lifted his Zanpakuto and delivered a decisive and lethal gash along the Espada's torso.

She saw the Shinigami regain his strength and felt her mind finally break free from its containment and reenter the reality that coursed all around her. She faintly smiled then, and closed her eyes.

"_It will be fine,"_ a smooth voice filled her. _"Be at ease."_

She clutched a hand to her beating heart._ Thank you, Ulquiorra-kun._


	28. Impossible Fantasy

Chapter XXVIII

Impossible Fantasy

"_Every age yearns for a more beautiful world. The deeper the desperation and the depression about the confusing present, the more intense that yearning."_

_-Johan Huizinga_

* * *

><p>Inoue's hair swayed with the wind as the air stilled for several moments following Ichigo's decisive blow to Grimmjow's chest. The child beside her watched in astonishment through the golden expanse of the shield that separated them from the motionless pair below.<p>

Ichigo breathed heavily as he allowed his sword to lower to the sand below, watching as the Espada simply gazed up at the sky in pain and disbelief. He stood another moment before falling to his knees before the Shinigami, seeing the blood upon the massive Zanpakuto bathed with the gore of his own blood.

_It's over_, Inoue thought with relief and a very slight and surprising satisfaction that Grimmjow had not been slain after all. Regardless of his abrasive and often violent personality, she still held some semblance of gratitude toward him for rescuing her from the two female Arrancars and for allowing her the opportunity to revive Ichigo, despite his abhorrent intentions.

The one thing that she could still not seem to forgive him for, however apparent the necessity, was his cruel act against Ulquiorra, sealing him helplessly within a prison of darkness. However, she did recognize that she would not have been to heal her friend otherwise, and that escape would've been forever denied to her.

Now, though, it appeared as if she and all her companions would finally be able to return home, to where she had always belonged. She felt so many emotions at the prospect that the entire venture seemed too impossible to be real. For so long, she had been prepared to face death within the realm of the Hollow, and had slowly accepted the fact that she would never again set eyes upon her own beloved world.

Lifting her eyes to the sky, however, she felt a small wave of sadness at the possibility of not being able to see the face of the fourth Espada before leaving. He might chase after her, or somehow find a way to escape his confinement before her departure but, the prospect was still present and so she offered him a small smile in his absence. She brought a hand to her lips and closed her eyes, bidding him a silent farewell and kissing her fingertips before lifting her hand upward toward the site of his disappearance.

Looking to her left, she noticed that the child had momentarily averted her gaze and was now eying her curiously. Inoue smiled uneasily as she lowered her hand and clenched her fist gently as the faintest trace of a blush found her cheeks.

Why did such reactions continue to plague her? He had committed unbelievable acts and purposefully hurt her in the aftermath. He had said the cruelest things and showed her neither sympathy or even respect. And yet…as she felt the burn of a scarlet flush upon her skin, she marveled at its continuance and at how her heart would beat even slightly faster at the sound of his name or memory of his face.

Looking down to Ichigo, she also began to feel the cold withdrawal of all the romantic impulses he had once unfailingly instilled within her thoughts and emotions. Why was that so? He still attracted and inspired admiration but…something was undeniably different. Something that was now absent and Inoue found that she could not identify what exactly was missing any more than she could determine the nature of her disposition concerning the Espada.

Again looking to the child, who continued to gaze up at her questioningly, Inoue opened her mouth to alleviate her concern when she suddenly heard something clash against steel. Eyes widening, she immediately turned to see that Grimmjow had reached out to grasp Ichigo's Zanpakuto. She could only faintly hear the Espada's strained words as she observed his trembling form.

"Screw…you!" he sputtered, "You..you think that you've won! That you beat me!"

Inoue's heart thudded violently as she quickly leaned forward, "Kurosaki-kun!"

She watched as the cat-like figure reached out and swiftly dealt a blow across Ichigo's torso, panting as he stood to observe the Shinigami clutching at the wound inflicted on his abdomen. They stood gazing at one another for countless moments before Grimmjow rushed toward him again, reaching out and sending Ichigo flying backwards.

Continuing to advance, the Espada attempted another blow, but Ichigo regained balance and lifted his sword to block the attack. A wave of sand swept over them, and as Inoue strained her eyes to see, she felt her stomach plummet as the sound of Ichigo's pained outcries reached her ears.

The next thing she saw was the Shinigami being thrown into the air after receiving a strong kick from his enemy, who simply leered up at his battered form. Her breath caught as she observed the enraged expression of the Espada and marveled that she had never before seen such a look of anger upon the countenance of anyone she had previously encountered.

Grimmjow jumped and raced after his prey, ascending into the sky at an alarming speed before performing a sonido and appearing behind Ichigo. Inoue then clutched a hand over her heart and felt a wave of despair greet her ever-hopeful soul as she observed the sixth Espada reach his hands forward and summon ten cerulean beams of light from his claws, which extended into the air beside him.

_What…is that?_ She wondered in horror as Ichigo adjusted his stance and retreated several feet from his adversary, seemingly unsure of what was about to ensue.

Another moment lingered and then departed before the Espada reached forward and sent the beams coursing toward his opponent who quickly lifted his blade to block the onslaught. He was sent flying backwards as he struggled to maintain his strength before he was thrust down toward the sand, the deadly rays of light sweeping overhead and crashing into the tower beneath Inoue and Nel.

The entire atmosphere was bathed in haunting azure as Ichigo righted himself and landed on his feet, sword at the ready and aimed toward the Espada, who joyously announced his impending victory and self-proclaimed sovereignty.

Ichigo then jumped and lifted his sword to the ice-like beams, running the blade through one of them until it eventually halted and shattered the light into fragments resembling shards of glass. As the pieces rained down around Inoue, she allowed concern to take her features as she nervously watched the pair, hand still clutched tightly to her pulsating chest.

She watched Ichigo rush forward resolutely, again running his blade through the penetrating rays sent his way and using the attack almost like a path, from which he was determined not to deviate.

She caught every declaration he made upon nearing his opponent until one sent a tremor of astonishment to rush through her veins and into her heart, where it was greeted with a throbbing ache.

"I came to destroy you!" he shouted, "And…Ulquiorra! And Aizen!" He continued to fly towards the Espada, unhindered. "And to take Rukia, Chad, Ishida, Renji…and Inoue back with me!"

Her eyes widened as she heard her name, and though she should have felt nothing but immense pride upon hearing his determination to rescue her and safely retrieve all of those who had accompanied him, she found that it was laced with the pain of hearing his desire to defeat Ulquiorra, despite the recognition that he had every right to do so on account of nearly being killed by him. Ichigo did not know of her connection with the Espada or of the entirely gentle and admirable aspects of his nature.

Still…she did not want Ulquiorra to die, no matter what. He, or Ichigo, or anyone else she cared for. She wanted it all to end with the defeat of Grimmjow. However…Aizen was still around and, until the world was rid of him, serenity and harmony would be denied to all involved. She could not allow her desires to delude her from the truth reality harshly presented. If Ulquiorra had taught her anything, it was to constantly carry an awareness of present circumstances.

Inadvertently, she again lifted her eyes to the sky, half expecting to see the great vortex open and release Ulquiorra. However, such a thing was impossible and her heart involuntarily lurched at the sight of the still empty and cloudless expanse of blue.

Why did she suddenly desire to see him? Why did her ears long for his voice? Why was her skin aching for this touch and her senses the unique and enticing scent that belonged to no one but him? He had nearly killed Ichigo and yet…he hadn't. That small and seemingly insignificant window presented the possibility for pardoning, though her heart presently rebelled against it. She reasoned that someday, however, when she was far away from this place and looking back on her moments with him, that she might find the will to forgive what he had done.

Averting her eyes to Ichigo then, she watched as he closed the final distance between he and Grimmjow, penetrating the Espada in the abdomen with his ebony blade, the glow of azure fading, allowing the atmosphere to resume its natural hues.

The two hung suspended for countless moments before Ichigo removed his sword and the Espada fell backwards, his body limp and his face expressionless. Inoue held her breath as she watched his descent, feeling a small semblance of pity toward Grimmjow as she simultaneously found herself hoping that the final attack had not killed him.

She then watched as Ichigo caught him by the wrist, halting his fall before slowly lowering him onto the sand below, gently allowing his body to rest upon the heartless desert. She smiled slightly at this small action of his, once again admiring Ichigo's continued respect for all those around him, including his enemies.

He simply stood gazing down at Grimmjow's stilled form for an immeasurable amount of time as Inoue felt her smile slowly fade into a contemplative expression. In that moment she suddenly uncovered one of the answers to the many questions resounding through her mind. Even if Ichigo were to confess feelings of affection to her, she would no longer be able to accept them. Yes, she had sworn five lifetimes to him but the circumstances had changed since then as well as the understanding that he was not someone she would ever be suited for, and vice versa.

Something within had subtly changed during her time in Hueco Mundo and she didn't know whether it was due to Ulquiorra or the fact that she had actually been forced to comprehend herself on a deeper level within countless hours of solitary confinement. The realization startled her and yet strangely left her feeling a confounding swell of tranquility as if she had desperately been grasping at something that was no longer there.

She could not say that she was entirely absent of romantic feelings for Ichigo, and she still could not determine the identity of the feelings she held for Ulquiorra or find the desire to forgive him, but she was now certain that her future was undeniably hers and that even without offering a lifetime of devotion to either one, her destiny would continue to shine brightly and magnificently.

Her chest suddenly seemed to feel lighter and her heart was relieved of a great portion of its burden, the restricted emotions and encumbered thoughts at once feeling easier to handle. She watched as Ichigo slowly turned away from his defeated opponent, eyes downcast and sword lowered solemnly. He halted a moment before jumping and slowly ascending towards her.

Releasing her shield, she intently eyed his face as it came into view, observing the way his expression was numbly set and his features devoid of response or reaction. He seemed genuinely morose over his own actions against Grimmjow, though she knew that he acknowledged the fact that it had needed to be done.

Turning her face to the side briefly to look down at the child beside her, Inoue closed her eyes and set her mind against recalling all earlier doubts concerning Ichigo's hollow nature. She also desperately clung to the resolutions and clarity that she had just encountered a mere moment ago, though the process was actually easier now that she was aware of how her heart actually felt.

_Kurosaki-kun and…Ulquiorra-kun…_Inoue contemplated_, both are so entirely different, and yet they each equally confuse and demand immense admiration from my impulsive feelings. _

Looking again to Ichigo, she continued to analyze him with a widened gaze. "K-Kuro-"

The last time she had been able to speak alone with him, was when she had confessed her love and devotion, a declaration that now seemed entirely whimsical.

"Are you-?" He interrupted her thoughts, before slowly lifting his head to face her, revealing the familiar glow of his eyes as well as the absence of the horrific mask. He smiled gently, "are you hurt, Inoue?"

Her concerned expression was slowly alleviated as a small answering smile graced her lips, her mind feeling the swell of relief at seeing that he was back to his usual self.

_Thank goodness! _She thought as the wind swept past them, billowing through their garments and surrounding the atmosphere with its cool and powerful presence.

"Yeah," she answered softly. "Thank you."

His mouth parted briefly before he resumed his easy smile, conveying the imminent relief he felt at seeing that she was unharmed.

Despite the fact that she had accepted his hollow characteristics, she still could not deny the fact that she felt safer beside the Shinigami she had grown accustomed to. There was something dangerous and menacing about the mask he wore, and the persona it emitted. She did not know if he even realized himself what that visage seemed to emanate.

"Itsygo!" Nel suddenly cried before Inoue saw the toddler dive into Ichigo's torso, arms outstretched and voice shrill with desperation. The Shinigami's face contorted into one of discomfort and surprise as he was sent flying backwards, his sword falling from his hand, sent hurling toward Inoue and clattering against the marble beside her.

"Y-You stupid kid!" he hollered as he grasped her waist. "What're you thinking! You jumped off a cliff! You would've died if you fell! For the love of-!"

"I'm so happy!" Nel choked out through her tears, resulting in Ichigo's eyes widening. "Itsygo, I'm so happy you didn't die!"

As she began to weep, Ichigo's brows furrowed sympathetically as his tender smile returned. "Yeah," he placed a hand atop her head. "Thanks, Nel."

He then cradled her safely within the fold of his arms before making his way toward Inoue and slowly bending to set Nel down. Inoue smiled at the scene before lifting her gaze to meet Ichigo's as he straightened to observe her fondly.

"Kurosaki-kun…"she began before he lifted his hand and held it out to her.

As she looked to his waiting palm she marveled at how elated she would have once felt at this small gesture of his. However…upon being presented with it, she found only a mild semblance of delight.

"Let's go. Everyone's waiting," Ichigo stated gently.

Inoue nodded then, remembering that all of her other companions still needed help. She slowly walked toward Ichigo, before almost hesitantly beginning to lift her hand. It was so strange that her reactions seemed unmotivated to respond to the stimulating prospect of completing such a familiar act.

As she leisurely lowered her hand into his, her palm simply rested still as he clutched her reassuringly. Watching as his kind eyes reached into hers, Inoue was suddenly greeted with the image of Ulquiorra, and the memory of how her hand used to feel when entwined with his. Ichigo's touch brought with it a startling and fierce contrast to all the impulses the fourth Espada would instill upon the same act of affection.

She recalled how it would always make the veins beneath her skin feel as if electricity were being shot through them and into her heart, where the thundering chorus of its relentless beating would echo throughout her entire soul, prompting feelings of breathlessness and warmth.

Ichigo's hand, likewise, was comforting and also instilled a degree of warmth. However, it did not entice any other reaction or intoxication. It simply inspired security and appreciation.

Despite this realization, though, Inoue found that her newfound disposition towards Ichigo suited her just fine. It allowed for her to truly embrace him as a dear friend, someone whom she could revere without bias or prejudice. Closing her eyes then, she smiled and allowed for a very faint flush of gratitude and contentment.

They both then turned to gaze out at the great expanse of desert as the wind continued to sweep through and around them, hands held together and Nel looking between them silently before also settling her attention on the distant sands.

In that moment, the future appeared bright and devoid of anxiety as Inoue silently continued to gaze at the sun, her mind untroubled and openly allowing for the vision of Ulquiorra to encompass it. Seeing the great and magnificent light within the sky, she held onto to the feeling of immense appreciation she had felt the day he showed it to her.

Ichigo then withdrew his hand as he faced her, smile still in place. "I'm glad you're not hurt, Inoue."

She turned to him and lowered her eyes briefly before meeting his gaze and nodding before suddenly allowing for a soft giggle and noticeable flush of pride upon her cheeks.

Lifting her fists, she gently clenched them, "Well, I'm pretty tough, too!" She closed her eyes in excitement. "When I was little I never caught colds or-"

Her words fell silent as Ichigo unexpectedly grasped her around the waist and unceremoniously hoisted her over his shoulder. Inoue gasped as her flush burned feverishly, the crimson more prominent and pronounced.

"H-Hey, Kurosaki-kun! What're you doing?" She clutched at his shoulder as her eyes grew impossibly wider.

"What? We're getting down from here." He explained before turning his head to look back at her. "This place is trashed. Jumping'll be a lot quicker than searching for a staircase."

"B-But," Inoue stammered, looking to him desperately before turning away and lifting both hands to her head. She then covered her face in embarrassment. It felt extremely hot beneath her fingers as she frantically tried to hide her blush.

"What is it? Something wrong?" Ichigo asked in confusion, unaware of the state she was in.

Inoue did not face him, simply allowed her eyes to drift over. "I'm heavy," she attempted weakly.

"Nah, don't worry about it," Ichigo consoled as she squeezed her eyes closed. "You're not as heavy as I figured."

Inoue's eyes widened as she again opened them before Nel suddenly crashed into Ichigo's knee and bit down, resulting in he emitting a loud and startling scream.

"Brat!" he hollered.

"Ya can't talk to a lady like that!" she explained seriously before her voice began to grow progressively louder. "There's a wight way and a wong way to talk to a lady! Even if she's heavy, yer s'posed ta say she's light! Even if she's really heavy!"

"Th-that's enough, Nel-chan," Inoue pleaded, now extremely self-conscious. "You're making me depressed…"

_Did Ulquiorra think she was heavy too?_

Following that thought she inhaled quickly as Ichigo suddenly grabbed Nel beneath his other arm and jumped, the air rushing past for several moments before his feet met the soft sand below, dust encircling and dancing around them before returning to its settled state.

Eyes closed, Inoue briefly entertained the memory of jumping with the fourth Espada, and at how exhilarating the experience had been. She remembered his arms held securely around her as well as the look of admiration that had crossed his features upon noticing her excitement.

"There we go," Ichigo stated before grabbing Inoue and carefully lowering her onto the ground, pulling her from the inebriation of her thoughts. "Now, I need to go save Chad and Rukia."

"Wh-Whattabout us?" Nel demanded nervously as both Inoue and Ichigo looked down at her in surprise. "Are you going to leave us behind?"

"No way!" Ichigo stated as he straightened. "Come with me. Staying here would be more dan-"

His eyes suddenly widened as he felt a familiar presence from behind him, the presence of which seemed to inspire disbelief upon his features. Inoue, too, looked up and covered her mouth as a loud thud resounded within her chest.

Ichigo slowly turned his head and silently eyed the panting form of the Espada behind him, before his gaze narrowed slightly. "Grimmjow…"

Grimmjow then began to walk forward unsteadily, blood falling and mingling with the sand at his feet.

"Kurosaki-kun!" Inoue warned anxiously before Ichigo held out his sword in preparation to face his opponent.

The sixth Espada then suddenly stopped and closed his eyes as his Zanpakuto's release disappeared, reverting him to his normal state and forming into the familiar sword within his hand. "I don't lose…" he stubbornly and breathlessly stated. "I…I'll never go down…to someone like you!"

He then rushed forward determinedly, and Inoue simply watched tensely as he readied his sword. She did not feel she could watch him get killed however and so, just before she could look away, her eyes suddenly widened as she saw Ichigo unexpectedly drop his sword and rush forward before he lifted a hand to halt Grimmjow's blade.

Grasping his wrist, Ichigo stared into the Espada's eyes resolutely. "That's enough, Grimmjow. You've lost."

Inoue held her breath as she felt an immense swell of relief flood through her entire core.

"I don't care if you're a king or not," Ichigo continued. "But cutting through anyone you don't like and becoming a king with no one left to rule…What's the point of it all? If you loathe me so much, I'll fight whenever you want. So let it go for now!"

Silence fell between them before Grimmjow lowered his eyes briefly. However, the moment passed as he yanked his arm free and leaned forward quickly. "Never! You're-"

He was cut off then as a giant scythe came down to slash against him, his eyes widening in confusion and his mouth parting in disbelief.

Ichigo, too, looked on in astonishment, completely unsure of what to think in that moment.

Inoue, however, instantly recognized the newcomer and as she looked on in horror she felt the familiar chilling revulsion that always accompanied him. She was entirely appalled that he would attack his own colleague without provocation. However, she simultaneously realized that she was not even the slightest bit surprised at witnessing such a cruel and unfeelingly action from him.

Grimmjow immediately fell to the ground at Ichigo's feet, the latter looking to the new Espada as the weapon was retracted.

"Damn, you're a sore loser!" the man sneered down at the sixth as he grasped his weapon and swung it to the side, a wide grin overtaking his features. "Just die already." He looked to Ichigo. "He's mine now."

Inoue felt shivers form across her skin as she heard his final statement. Genuine fear replaced all confidence she had held during Ichigo's fight with Grimmjow. This Espada was merciless and extremely powerful. Within his unreleased state, Ulquiorra had defeated Ichigo and yet, Nnoitra had been able to inflict a great deal of damage over the fourth Espada.

Ichigo…Inoue knew, was no match for him, especially in his current weakened state.

The fifth Espada began to slowly advance forward, his heavy scythe running across the sand in a sickening grate of metal against earth.

"Who…are you?" Ichigo asked with widened eyes, seeming to realize the power difference between this new opponent and the last he had faced. "An Espada?"

The sleek-haired enemy merely smiled in response, his slit-like glaze piercing into the eyes of the man he intended to kill.

"I asked who you are!" Ichigo demanded tensely, "Answer me!"

He then heard a muffled gasp from below and looked to see Grimmjow struggling to breath. "Nnoitra," the sixth began. "You son of a…"

"Whoa," the fifth responded smoothly. "You're still alive?" He then jumped quickly and prepared his weapon.

Ichigo's eyes abruptly widened before he swiftly reached out and grasped his sword, blocking the blow that was aimed for Grimmjow.

"Eh?" Nnoitra responded upon seeing this action from the Shinigami. "What the hell're you doing?"

"That's my line!" Ichigo returned through gritted teeth. "Why are you attacking someone who can't even move?"

Inoue allowed her eyes to rest upon Grimmjow, who was simply staring up at Ichigo without expression, his face neither startled or content. However, within the gleam of his bleary eyes she could see a foreign trace of something she could now recognize as pure, unblemished awe. It was a glimmer she often used to see within the eyes of Ulquiorra and…as she smiled…she realized that within that moment Grimmjow had evolved to something even slightly closer to the level of his superiors, far surpassing Nnoitra and thus claiming an existence comprised of more than mere instinct.

"Ha!" Nnoitra jeered as Ichigo was thrust several feet away.

"The hell is this shit, Grimmjow?" the fifth demanded as he looked to the cerulean haired Espada. "Huh? First the enemy kicks your ass, then you let him save your life?"

Grimmjow simply gazed up at him listlessly, his mouth parted ever so slightly as his face continuing to mask whatever thoughts were currently encompassing his mind.

"What's your name, Shinigami?" Nnoitra asked, returning his attention to his opponent.

"Kurosaki Ichigo."

The smile returned. "Kurosaki, huh?" He then lifted his scythe and prepared his stance for battle. "I'll remember it, for just the short time you're still alive!" He then summoned his spiritual pressure, which was received by a widening of Ichigo's eyes before the first blow was executed.

The sand was agitated once more and Ichigo quickly dodged the attack, jumping onto the piles of rubble above. He was then met with another attempted thrust, which he quickly blocked. However, the weapon was far too heavy for him and he was swiftly sent colliding into the ground. He stood and was only granted a moment before he reached up to defend against another attack from the scythe.

"Kurosaki-kun!" Inoue cried, desperate to stop the fight. She knew that there would only be one outcome to the battle, an outcome that she would not be able to observe.

_Ulquiorra-kun…please, I need you!_

"Tesla!" Nnoitra called out to his subordinate.

"Yes, sir!" A voice suddenly answered from behind Inoue before she felt an arm wrap itself in front of her. She was then pulled backwards, her body hitting the sand as two firm hands restrained her shoulders, halting any form of movement.

"Inoue!" Ichigo called, looking back at her as the sound of her startled outburst reached his ears.

"Whatcha looking at?" Nnoitra threatened before he sent his scythe coursing over Ichigo's head in warning.

"Let go of Inoue!" Ichigo demanded, eyes set on his opponent but voice directed towards the Arrancar behind him.

"Now that's funny," Nnoitra declared with an amused grin. "That's the kind of line a guy says when he thinks as long as his woman's safe, he can win!"

Inoue's eyes widened as his words reached her, recognizing the underlying implications within his menacing statement. He was speaking of Ulquiorra and of the time in which he had been told something similar upon their confrontation on the balcony.

_Ulquiorra straightened and regarded Nnoitra a moment before placing a hand on his hilt. He hesitated another second before slowly drawing his sword and suspending it towards his opponent. "So be it. Let her go."_

Desperate tears suddenly sprang to her eyes as they helplessly gazed up at the sky_. If you can see me…please…do something to stop this._

"Well, check this out," Nnoitra coaxed before sticking out his slimy tongue, where the number 5 was clearly printed.

Ichigo's eyes widened upon this gesture, his hand grasping his sword even tighter.

"That's my rank," Nnoitra explained. "Get it? You got the crap beaten out of you before you finally managed to beat this scum over here, and I'm stronger than him." He lifted a bony finger and directed it towards the Shinigami. "You're dead." He grinned, "sorry, I forgot your name already."

He again lifted his scythe and sent it falling towards Ichigo as Inoue cringed in apprehension of the battle she could do nothing to prevent.

The sand beneath her was soft and warm, and the expanse of blue above was clear and untarnished. She blinked away her tears as her fears momentarily subsided. Ignoring the harsh hands that held her shoulders and the clashing of steel from somewhere beside her, she instead closed her eyes and pictured that dream from so long ago in which she had been lying upon the desert of Hueco Mundo, the sun shining brightly overhead and the barren waste at once coming to life and filling the atmosphere with vitality. She wondered what it had represented, if anything at all.

This thought was followed with one of Ulquiorra, and of all the things she still wished they could have experienced together. It seemed now an impossible fantasy, but one she fervently desired for all the same.


	29. Lingering Darkness

Chapter XXIX

Lingering Darkness

"_A star falls from the sky and into your hands. Then it seeps through your veins and swims inside your blood and becomes every part of you. And then you have to put it back into the sky. And it's the most painful thing you'll ever have to do and that you've ever done."_

_-C. JoyBell C._

* * *

><p>Restrained by Nnoitra's subordinate, Inoue now stood with her arms held firmly behind her back and a rough arm holding her from around the shoulders. She watched as Ichigo dodged attack after attack, never receiving even a brief window in which to counter the onslaught.<p>

"Kurosaki-kun!" she shouted, eyes wide and face anxious as she watched him receive a blow from the scythe across his back, which sent him crashing into the waiting sand. She looked to Nnoitra imploringly, "stop this! Kurosaki-kun's hurt!"

"Shut-up, you dumb bitch!" the fifth Espada shouted as he turned to look at her, irritation overtaking his features. "Who cares if he's hurt?" His voice lowered, "this's a fight." He looked to Ichigo, "of course it ain't fair!"

_It's no use, _Inoue realized with a sinking feeling. The Espada before her was not like Ulquiorra or even Grimmjow, who, though for different reasons, would not fight an opponent who wasn't at maximum capability.

"Battles are like monsters that give birth to unfairness and intolerance," Nnoitra continued as he neared Ichigo, who was struggling to stand. "I hate that guy. I can beat him! I'll make him pay! You invent reasons to turn a person into an enemy, and the moment you do, the battle begins."

_What reason did Ulquiorra-kun have for turning Kurosaki-kun into an enemy? _Inoue wondered as her eyes continued to watch Ichigo as he simply knelt before his looming opponent.

"You thought you could go all-out in the middle of the enemy's base and not have anyone come after you?" Nnoitra glared, "That's a real bad joke, Shinigami!"

A brief moment of silence fell, in which neither movement or expression filled. Nnoitra then suddenly grinned, "Get up. I watched your whole fight with Grimmjow. I know all your tricks!"

Unsteadily, Ichigo stood, sword grasped desperately in his hands, and expression trying to grasp at any confidence he still had. He relentlessly panted, as the sweat poured from his skin and through his attire, the sun above beating down mercilessly, not even allowing for the faintest semblance of comfort.

"Kurosaki-kun," Inoue softly spoke as she observed him.

Nnoitra then chuckled, which was followed by an attack attempt from Ichigo as he jumped and rushed toward the Espada.

"Too slow," Nnoitra chastised as he thrust his scythe toward the Shinigami. Ichigo leaned and dodged this however, which was followed by a look of surprise from his adversary.

Nnoitra reached up and stopped the Zanpakuto as it was mere inches from his face, then running his hand down the blade and halting just above the hilt. "What happened?" he sneered, "I guess this thing only looks sharp." He lifted his head and grinned, "I shouldn't have even bothered dodging!" He reached down and smacked his head into Ichigo's which sent the latter falling back onto the sand.

"Kurosaki-kun!" Inoue shouted louder before closing her eyes briefly and then averting her gaze to the man who held her. She furrowed her brows and began to mull over the things Ulquiorra had told her of fighting and at how she could apply them to her own abilities.

"I wouldn't start contemplating if your powers are enough to defeat me," her captor warned, recognizing the sudden look on her features. Inoue's eyes widened as he continued. "Though capable of amazing feats, your "Six Flowers" spirit particles are exceedingly weak. Even I could destroy them easily."

After gazing up at him a moment longer, and analyzing the truth of his statement, Orihime lowered her eyes in acceptance. He was right; her pixies could not combat sheer strength. That much had been evident during her attempt at using Tsubaki against Yammy.

_Seems like so long ago…_Inoue suddenly contemplated, _When Ulquiorra and I first met._

She wondered absently what he would do if she were to suddenly transport back in time and run into his arms. _He would probably kill me_, she thought with a sad smile

"There is only one reason why I haven't already," the man behind her explained. "Your abilities belong to Aizen-sama. Aizen-sama's orders were, _"Unless attacked, you are forbidden to destroy the Six Flowers." _His eyes then narrowed threateningly, "attack, and they will be obliterated."

"Please don't try to struggle," he ordered as Inoue released a defeated exhale and lifted her gaze to see Ichigo still struggling to stand.

_Kurosaki-kun_…Inoue mentally stated before her eyes suddenly widened. _Wait a second…_she averted her gaze to the desert beside, her face turning to inspect her surroundings further. _Nel-chan isn't here!_

"What's wrong?" her captor demanded, noticing the look of unease.

_Oh no!_ Inoue thought, her eyes widening further. She looked to the man above, "No, it's nothing." She turned away, intent to hide her expression from him.

"I see," he responded as her expression grew worried. "I don't see that Arrancar who was with you earlier."

Inoue lifted her head to see that he was scanning the rubble, and her eyes widened as his rested on an area a few feet away. "Over there," he stated before he forcibly and motionlessly compelled the cement structure to explode, revealing Nel as she tumbled across the sands.

"Nel-chan!" Inoue shouted.

The child cowered a moment before she lifted her head to see Ichigo being tossed down into the earth, her eyes then lifting to the Espada above him.

"Are you…" Nnoitra began as he stopped to observe her whimpering form. "…Nel?"

Inoue audibly gasped at this, _he…knows her?_

"Yeah…that's your estigma!" he hollered, "You look like you've been living in a garbage dump! So? Does that broken mask of yours ache?"

"What the hell're you saying?" Ichigo demanded.

"Eh?" Nnoitra asked, hand still lifted to his forehead.

"Do you know Nel?"

"Ah, I wondered what she was doing here," Nnoitra began, "so you're the one who brought her."

Nel continued to hold her head and moan, her face contorted in distress. Nnoitra grinned as he observed the incomprehension of Ichigo's features. "Judging from the look on your face, you must've been lugging her around without knowing what she really is."

"What…do you mean?" Ichigo asked, eyes wide.

Orihime looked down to Nel, also entirely confused by the fifth's declarations.

"Here's the story," Nnoitra began. "She's Nel. Neliel Tu Oderschvank. A former Espada."

Ichigo's eyes widened and Inoue's did the same as she exhaled in astonishment, "A former Espada?"_ How is that possible?_

"That's right," Nnoitra acknowledged as he looked to Orihime. "What? Did you think she was harmless? You idiots! She's been deceiving both of you!" He looked to Nel and began to approach her, "she's an Espada without a doubt! Isn't that right, Neliel?"

"It's…a lie…" the child defended, lifting herself from the sand. "I'm…not an Espada…There's no way…"

"Eh? What the hell are you talking about?" Nnoitra continued. "Are you screwin' around with me? Don't try to tell me you forgot!"

"I didn't forget a thing! I'm…not an Espada!"

"Tch," Nnoitra stated, "you've given annoying a whole new meaning since the last time I saw you." His voice lowered, "you deceived these guys and used them! And that's how you got into Las Noches!"

Inoue watched their interaction silently, not really knowing what to think of the situation. An insecurity slowly began to present itself however, as a part of her questioned if Ulquiorra might have been the one to deceive her. It was possible that he had merely been playing with her emotions all that time, intending all along to confuse and entangle her very susceptible feelings.

_No! _She suddenly thought, closing her eyes. _No, he did not deceive me. Everything he said was true, everything was real. _She looked to the sky, as she ran through her memories of him, and recalled the sensations and inspiration he instilled. The look that was always present within his eyes, even still, further affirmed the fact that he had never misled her.

_If anything_, she suddenly thought guiltily, _it was me who deluded _him_._ She had been the one to foolishly involve herself with him while simultaneously suppressing her lingering and potent attachment to Ichigo. She had been wrong to make him believe that they were something that she had never really intended to be.

_I'm so sorry for that, Ulquiorra-kun…and for only now recognizing that I shouldn't have pushed you aside when you told me Kurosaki-kun had come for me._ She clenched a fist as she again closed her eyes. _I should have…told you right away what he meant to me…and told you then that I really continued to care for you too._

However, as she relaxed her hand, she realized that even though she acknowledged her own faults, she could not let go of what he had done to Ichigo, or of all the unfeeling things he had said. _Why?_ She felt tears threaten to present themselves, _Why did you have to go and do that? Why did you have to hurt me like that? Didn't you know that I wouldn't be able to forgive you? Even though I want to…so very badly._

When Inoue finally opened her eyes, she saw that Nel and Nnoitra were still conversing and that Ichigo was simply staring on expressionlessly. She saw the look of desperation on the child's face and felt a debilitating pang of empathy.

"I want you to believe me, Itsygo! I…I never deceived you, Itsygo! Itsygo!"

When he didn't say anything, Inoue also looked to him, eying him carefully. _Believe her Kurosaki-kun, she's telling the truth._

She then watched as Nnoitra neared the toddler, who merely cowered beneath him. The Espada lifted his leg to stomp on her, his face and presence entirely menacing and conveying his intent to kill. Orihime then watched in relief as Ichigo stepped in front of Nel and shoved Nnoitra's foot aside.

"Itsygo?" Nel asked, relaxing slightly.

Ichigo smiled, "It goes without saying! There's no way you'd deceive us!"

Tears sprang to the child's eyes, "Itsygo…"

"Don't worry, Nel. Me and everyone else, we all believe in you. We know you weren't using us. Like I care if you used to be an Espada!"

Orihime's mouth parted slightly as she watched him, worried at what Nnoitra's reaction would be while also feeling immense pride at witnessing his decision to trust Nel. He had never doubted her to begin with, a characteristic she had always wished to imitate.

Ichigo thrust his sword into the sand as he straightened to look upon the fifth Espada. "I trust the Nel I see here before me! You kept on yapping about stuff I don't give a damn about! I won't let you lay a finger on Nel!"

"Heh! Don't make me laugh!" Nnoitra proclaimed before swinging his scythe down to meet Ichigo's blade. The Espada continued to slash away at the Shinigami, continuing to provoke and relentlessly taunt him. It was all Ichigo could do to merely block the attacks, as he was unremittingly pushed and kicked around.

When the child called out for him, Nnoitra returned his attention to her and revealed that he had, in fact, been the one to crack the mask on her head.

"You did that to her?" Ichigo asked, kneeling upon the sand.

"That's right!" The Espada exclaimed, aiming his scythe towards her, "I cracked her head right open!"

"Nel-chan!" Inoue shouted nervously.

"Stop it!" Ichigo shouted, charging towards Nnoitra and barely averting the attack sent his way as Nel was thrown into the air by the force of it.

"Shouldn't you be worrying about yourself?" the Espada asked the Shinigami, "or did you forget that your sword can't cut me?"

He then dealt him a swift upward blow, sending Ichigo flying several feet away, where he again met the ever-waiting desert.

"Kurosaki-kun!" Inoue leaned forward, still restrained by the powerful arm of her captor. There was absolutely nothing she could do for either he or Nel.

"She really used to piss me off," Nnoitra revealed as he looked to the toddler before resting his gaze on Ichigo. "She used to be just like you!"

"Don't you go near, Nel!" Ichigo warned as the Espada advanced towards the child. "I told you not to go near her!" He jumped and again readied his sword as Nnoitra stopped and turned to face him, a perpetual grin across his face.

"The outcome will be the same no matter how many times you attack me!" Nnoitra shouted before thrusting Ichigo aside.

The fight continued in much the same way, during which Nnoitra questioned Ichigo's motives for engaging in a battle he had no hope of winning. The Shinigami firmly announced that it was only for the protection of Nel.

"Kurosaki-kun!" Inoue called out to him as he was again dealt a powerful blow.

"It's useless," he captor replied. "That Shinigami can barely move."

How were they going to get out of this? Inoue wondered helplessly. There didn't seem any possible way to move past their situation. She watched as Ichigo was dealt attack after attack, the Espada growing angrier and Nel looking on in anguish.

_I can't watch him die, _Inoue thought in horror, _but what can anyone do?_

As Nnoitra grasped his wrist, she heard the sickening sound of his bones being crushed, and the subsequent shouts of pain he released. Nel continued to call out his name as tears relentlessly fell from her eyes.

"Itsygo!" she suddenly shouted before a cloud of pink erupted around her, causing Inoue's eyes to widen and her brows to furrow in confusion. _What just happened?_

Everyone's attention was focused on the occurrence as time seemed to still in anticipation of revealing the explanation for the strange and sudden presence beyond the furling and concealing rosy cloud. When the dust finally cleared, the figure of a grown and beautiful woman was revealed, with hair the color of the sea and a familiar mask atop her head.

_Is that…Nel-chan? _Inoue wondered as she observed her. Her eyes then fell and widened when she saw the number tattooed across her back. _3…she's…even stronger than Ulquiorra._

Nel emerged and slowly walked forward, before suddenly stopping as the wind swept through her long, teal strands.

"So you've returned to your old form, Neliel." Nnoitra observed calmly until she suddenly performed a sonido behind him and landed beside Ichigo. He lifted his scythe to strike at her but she quickly moved both she and the Shinigami in her arms to safety.

"Bitch!" Nnoitra cursed as a glare took his features.

"Nel…" Ichigo began, causing the woman to look down to him in concern. He straightened and analyzed her face closely as she continued to hold him. "Are you really Nel?"

Her concern gave way to ease as she smiled, "I am. Thanks to you, Ichigo, I could return to my former body."

"It's thanks to me?"

"Yes. Ichigo, it's all because you brought me here while protecting me in my child form. Please stay here a moment." She then rose and looked to Nnoitra. "I want to thank you."

"W-wait, Nel. Don't tell me you're going to try fighting him to thank me?"

"It's okay," she looked back at him. "I'll finish it quickly."

Ichigo's eyes widened then as he also saw her rank, the astonishment continuing as she rushed across the sand toward the fifth, who merely stood still as she neared.

Both Inoue and Ichigo watched then as Nel slashed her opponent across the chest and dealt him a powerful kick, sending him coursing backwards. He attempted another attack but it was instantly thwarted, Nel observing him calmly as his rage became more evident.

"Nnoitra-sama," his subordinate stated in concern.

"Nel-chan!" Inoue followed, both surprised and anxious.

Nnoitra advanced on Nel but she quickly dodged and performed a sonido behind him, which was followed by a sound punch to his face.

"That's…" Inoue began in disbelief.

"Nel's true form!" Ichigo finished.

Nnoitra stood and then lowered his tongue, which was followed by a golden cero. Ichigo shouted a brief warning to Nel as she lifted a single hand to halt its advance before opening her mouth to absorb the blast. A pause followed before she looked to her opponent and released her own cero, bathing the atmosphere in a bright magenta.

Nnoitra was entirely consumed by the onslaught, as the area around him erupted in a powerful and fiery explosion. When the flames finally died and the sand continued to whirl in disarray, both Ichigo and Orihime looked to Nel with widened eyes and astonished expressions. Another moment passed until Inoue was abruptly released.

"Nnoitra-sama!" his subordinate called as he rushed forward, nearly knocking Orihime over in the process.

Inoue briefly steadied herself before running over to Ichigo. "Kurosaki-kun!" she stopped beside him, as he remained motionless from his position on the ground, eyes locked on Nel. "J-Just hang tight! I'll heal your injuries right away…" she trailed off as she looked to the former Espada as well, her brows furrowing slightly as she wondered what the woman's next action would be.

"Nel…" Ichigo stated, somewhat unsure.

Turning slowly, the woman in question stopped and gazed at her onlookers passively before suddenly rushing forward, a wide grinning overtaking her features. "Ichigo!" She collided into the Shinigami, a girlish laugh erupting and surrounding the atmosphere as she threw her arms tightly around his neck, holding him securely against her.

Inoue involuntarily cringed in response as a slight flush took her features upon witnessing the sudden reaction from Nel. However, her heart was entirely absent of jealousy, something she was both proud and extremely relieved to admit.

Ichigo, however, did not return the embrace, simply allowed a strangled scream to escape his lungs as his eyes widened and his hands hung suspended in the air.

"Thank goodness!" Nel proclaimed excitedly, pulling back briefly before leaning forward and squeezing him closely again. "I'm so happy you're okay, Ichigo!"

"Wait, wait, Nel-chan, er Nel-san!" Inoue waved her arms back and forth frantically as she recognized Ichigo's obvious discomfort. "You'll kill him! Kurosaki-kun'll die!"

However, Nel did not seem to hear her warnings, simply continued to hold onto Ichigo, her joyous laughs maintaining their intensity.

"Come on, Nel-chan, er, Nel-san!" Inoue continued more desperately, "Kurosaki-kun passed out! Kurosaki-kun!"

Stopping then, the former Espada leaned back and simply maintained her hold on Ichigo's shoulders as her widened eyes observed his oxygen-deprived façade, his neck still tilted at an uncomfortable angle. She merely gasped at that before reaching forward to embrace him again, "Ichigo!"

"Nel-san, please stop that!" Inoue pleaded, as she knelt beside the pair, hands still lifted in effort to convey her words more intensely.

Again, Nel retracted her hold as she lifted her widened gaze to Inoue, a sudden look of unease gracing her features. Inoue only had a moment to consider her expression before Nnoitra's subordinate was sent flying from beside them.

Nel's face turned wary as both she and Inoue watched the dust clear to reveal the fifth Espada, still alive and standing with his scythe in hand and an enraged expression on his face.

Nnoitra observed his subordinate disdainfully, "who told you to let go of that woman?"

"M-my apologies," the man replied breathlessly as he moved to stand.

The trio upon the sand simply observed him with looks of astonishment, silence filling the void that separated them from the far-from-defeated Espada before them.

"What is it?" Nnoitra began, eyes settling on the former third. "Weren't you going to finish this quickly, Neliel?"

He then went on to taunt her, explaining the reason why her unique _Cero Doble_ had done nothing to harm him. He stated that the Espada's levels had changed over the years since she had been a member of those highest ranked hollow.

When Ichigo grunted in response, Nel turned to him. "Wait just a bit longer."

"B-but…"

"It's okay," she said in attempt to ease his concern, "I'll fight Nnoitra. It's my turn to protect you."

Orihime lowered her eyes then, feeling entirely useless to her companions. Nel was amazing and her abilities were remarkable. Her own powers looked so mediocre and insufficient in comparison, neither providing protection nor truly benefiting the situation in any way whatsoever. Why was it that everyone else around her always seemed able to help while she was left simply watching along the sidelines? Would she ever be given the chance to truly aid someone? If so, then when? When would she finally be granted that moment in which she could save someone's life or provide a loved one with impenetrable security?

Nel turned then and stood to face her opponent, eyes determined and posture confident as she grasped her Zanpakuto firmly.

"Let me tell ya something," Nnoitra started with a grin. "That number on your back doesn't mean a damn thing anymore!"

_Maybe she isn't stronger than Ulquiorra-kun, _Inoue pondered as she silently watched her, the helpless feeling continuing to sink further into her chest. She stood then and clasped her hands firmly together as her expression grew concerned. "Nel-chan."

Closing her eyes, she tilted her head only slightly. _Ulquiorra-kun…you always thought I was remarkable for some reason. Why is that? What exactly is it that you see in me, something which I myself haven't even been able to see?_

Their fight continued, and all Inoue heard was the clash of steel and stirring of sand, her eyes remaining closed as she instead tried to ease her mind into a less troubled place. She imagined he was there, holding her securely, his comforting warmth seeping through her entire core and his soothing voice whispering into her ear and telling her that everything was going to turn out alright. She needed someone, needed him to hold her anxious feelings still, granting rest to her ever-fretful mind.

She faintly smiled. He knew her so well, perhaps more than anyone else. It could perhaps all be owed to the simple fact that he was always very perceptive and intellectual but, she also knew that he had purposefully chosen to take the time to try and understand her, a feat he had excelled in.

With a swell of pleasure she admitted that she had really gotten to know him as well, not as thoroughly but still on a considerably marvelous level. She had never spent so much time just trying to figure someone out, and he had turned out to be one of the most complex individuals she had ever associated herself with.

Her attention was suddenly roused as Nel's voice rang through the air and Inoue opened her eyes to see a rosy light enveloping the air as she held her sword securely between her outstretched palms.

"Declare…" she began softly.

Nnoitra's eyes instantly widened as he rushed toward her, "Damn you!"

"Gamuza!" she finished, eying him intently.

The next moment, Inoue was again taken by her captor as he slid one arm in front of her and restrained her hands firmly with the other. Her eyes widened briefly but she lowered them soon after, having long since given up on trying to escape from him. She resigned herself to simply await another opportunity to get away.

Nel had transformed into a centaur-like creature and calmly lifted her spear toward Nnoitra, who was now powerless against her. She cornered him and announced evenly that she did not intend to kill him before lowering her arm and the weapon within toward him.

However, within a second, she reverted to her childlike state, her eyes wide as she fell to the desert below. Inoue and Ichigo both eyed her in astonishment and alarm. They had almost won, another instant and victory would have been claimed. Now, however…

"Nel!" Ichigo shouted, immediately rising to his feet as Nnoitra leered down at the toddler. "Nel!" However, when he reached the Espada, he received an instant blow to the head and was thrust face down into the dust.

Inoue's heart stopped instantly, her entire body growing numb in response. Was it truly the end? Nel had been their final chance at winning the battle. "Kurosaki-kun!"

"All of you will die here," Nnoitra hissed to Ichigo as he continued to hold him down. He then looked to his subordinate, "Tesla, switch places with me. This guy's done for now. He's all yours."

"Yes, sir," the blonde Arrancar responded before releasing Inoue.

Orihime wasted no time in running toward Ichigo, her façade frantic and her mind desperate. "Kurosaki-kun! Kurosaki-kun!" She heard Nnoitra chuckle beneath his breath before she instantly felt him behind her, his snake-like tendons wrapping around her mouth roughly as his other arm pinned hers behind her back.

"Don't move, little pet," Nnoitra ordered as she squeezed her eyes closed and struggled against his hand.

Looking to him, Inoue felt him lifting her head closer so that his lips were beside her ear. Her eyes wavered and her stomach lurched in revulsion to the proximity. It cruelly reminded her of when he had tried to force her to witness Ulquiorra's demise. _Little Pet, _she thought absently, _they all still refer to me as his._

"I want you to watch this so, sit still!" he whispered sardonically.

Nnoitra's subordinate released his sword then, transforming into a massive pig-like creature, the immense strength radiating from him and filling the air. He raised his giant, hooved foot and stepped down on Ichigo, who emitted an ear piercing scream in response.

Tears filled Inoue's eyes at the sight, her gasp muffled by the fifth Espada's hand. She watched as the creature proceeded to lift Ichigo before repeatedly crashing him into the ground. Screams continued to fill the air and when finally the Arrancar stopped he immediately moved onto squeezing the Shinigami between his hands.

"No!" Inoue whispered, her gaze persistently watering before she lifted her head and closed her eyes tight, unable to watch. _Ulquiorra-kun, _she thought as a sob escaped her. _Ulquiorra-kun…Ulquiorra-kun…_

"Shaddap, pet!" Nnoitra jeered.

Inoue's eyes widened and she looked up to him helplessly.

"Listen," he continued, "your job is to shut your hole and watch. Watch as the man who came here to save you gets crushed to death!"

Her tears subsiding, Orihime merely stared up at him in horror. There was absolutely nothing she or anyone could do. Kurosaki Ichigo was really going to die and then she was going to be killed as well. Everyone she had been close to would follow soon after.

She wondered if Ulquiorra would care if she died. What would he do? Would he even feel anything?

A sickening crush of bones was then followed by absolute silence and, as Inoue looked to Ichigo she saw that his eyes were closed and his body limp. The Arrancar then released him and he fell to the desert in a motionless heap. Her eyes widened and she released a loud, pained exhale. _Kurosaki-kun…Kurosaki-kun…_The tears at once returned, _Kurosaki-kun…Kurosaki-kun…_She repeated his name over and over as he was again lifted and thrown around, his consciousness returning and his pain escalating.

When his face was held in a vice-like grip, his head being slowly crushed, he slowly opened his eyes and met Inoue's frightened gaze. His brows furrowed and he weakly gripped his sword, attempting to raise it to his adversary. This action did not go unnoticed however, and the Arrancar placed a single finger over Ichigo arm, halting a moment before breaking all the bones within.

The Zanpakuto fell to the sand and Ichigo's outcry of pain surrounded and chilled Inoue to the core. She watched as he was again thrown into the sand, and faintly heard Nnoitra's announcement that it was the end for him. Her sobs sounded relentlessly then as she was forced to watch the conclusion to the horrific scene before her eyes.

As Ichigo still struggled to stand, he raised his head to again look at Inoue, her eyes wide and her mind repeatedly chanting his name in desperation. He lifted a hand toward her, still determined to offer some semblance of protection.

"Worthless," Nnoitra spat in disgust. "Tesla, end it."

Inoue's heart sank as she watched the massive fist rise above Ichigo's head, before it quickly slammed down, her entire soul shattering in response. However, her eyes widened in absolute astonishment as she saw a familiar figure standing between the fist and Kurosaki, his Zanpakuto holding steady. It was…_Zaraki Kenpachi._

* * *

><p>He had to let go of her, that was all he could do at this point. He had to detach himself and accept the fact that she was just a mere human, one that would soon die at the will of Aizen. She was not going to accept him after what he had done, she was never going to forgive him. Primarily, however, was the fact that he was not at all sorry for his actions against Ichigo, something which only further accentuated the extent of his detachment. The only thing he regretted was the fact that he was now forever banished from her favor and that he had opened an opportunity for her escape.<p>

Ulquiorra opened his eyes and was met with the same overwhelming blackness. How long had it been since he had been confined? He was neither aware of time or location. It was probable that Inoue was already gone or that she had been hurt by Grimmjow. If that Espada had harmed her, he was determined not to allow him another day of existence.

If, however, it was Ichigo who had been victorious then he was prepared to settle things with the Shinigami once and for all, regardless of Inoue's presence, for the situation had gone well beyond mere jealousy. Kurosaki Ichigo was an actual threat to Aizen, one who had the potential to become even more powerful within a short period of time.

Removing himself from his violent speculations, Ulquiorra suddenly relaxed and blindly lifted a hand to run it through his hair, remembering how it would feel to have her do the same. Closing his eyes, he shook his head. He had been so entirely foolish. What possible outcome could he and Orihime have shared? What future was there for a pair like them? Nothing but darkness always lingered upon the horizon and it had been completely thoughtless of him to ignore it.

Clenching a fist, his face contorted in determination. He _had_ to…let go. He had to reclaim his cold and distant nature. If he allowed his newfound emotions and consideration for the woman to linger, they would completely consume him, resulting in an imminent defeat at the hand of either Aizen or even potentially Kurosaki Ichigo himself.

He was an Espada, a being where emotions were supposed to be absent and mercy nonexistent. He had to remain focused on what he had been created to do, had to remain faithful to the reason for his continued presence.

Orihime Inoue had been wrong about finding a heart. If there had been even a semblance of truth within her words, then he wanted nothing more to do with it. The heart seemed a troublesome and wavering thing, a possession that would undoubtedly prove both unnecessary and painful to him. He still did not understand exactly what it meant to have one, nor did he comprehend the way one went about obtaining it. However, one thing he did know was that it was the fault of seeking such a thing that had brought all of his tribulations and doubts.

He did not blame her though, for it had been his own ridiculous decision to endeavor such a concept.

It was almost certainly time for Aizen to enter the world of the living and, subsequently the hour for Inoue's disposal. What would he do if he were to order him to complete the inevitable act? It was easy to say in his present state of mind that he would fulfill any order bestowed upon him but…he knew that woman still held an unbelievably powerful enchantment over his buried soul.

And so…he had to prepare and harden his resolve. He was determined not to let her best him ever again. He would obey his orders and he was determined to neither falter nor hesitate. He was going to steel himself against her charms and deny his weaknesses the privilege of indulging their impulses.

She had turned away from him and he was committed to do the same.

_Goodbye…Orihime Inoue. This is the end of any and all attachment I held for you._


	30. Enticing Threshold

Chapter XXX

Enticing Threshold

"_The human heart feels things the eyes cannot see, and knows what the mind cannot understand."_

_-Robert Valett_

* * *

><p>Inoue did not even fully comprehend how it had happened but as she stood gazing up at the very man who had been the cause of all her tribulations, his menacing gaze piercing through her, she knew with certainty that it wasn't a nightmare.<p>

It was real, everything was still so debilitating real. A mere second ago she had been standing upon the warm sands, witnessing the fall of the fifth Espada at the hand of Zaraki Kenpachi and feeling a subsequent and immediate glow of relief. However, that had not lasted long for within the blink of an eye, as she was making her way to heal the injuries of the 12th squad captain, a firm hand gently placed itself on her shoulder, his striking azure gaze boring into hers.

"Sorry about this," he had said, his deep voice still curiously lacking any malicious undertones. "It annoys me that I have to be doing this, but…"

Stark had then announced to their bystanders that he intended to borrow her a moment before performing a swift sonido and carrying her with him to the fifth tower, where Aizen stood in greeting along with his two trusted Shinigami followers.

Eyes wide, Inoue found she could not look away from the individual she loathed above all others, his abhorrent smile in place and his voice smooth, silken and entirely chilling.

"Welcome back," he began, eying her intently. "Orihime."

She was speechlessly caught and immobilized beneath the influence of his eyes as he began to descend the staircase toward her.

"What's wrong?" he asked. "You look so troubled."

He stopped as he reached her before slowly extending a hand and placing it against her face, his fingers resting against the soft of her cheek and his thumb ever so slightly pressured against her lips. "Please smile," he demanded, "when the sun isn't shining, everyone gets depressed."

_The sun…_she thought absently, her entire body cringing at his touch and her heart pounding anxiously.

Aizen pulled her forward, and allowed his mouth to linger beside her ear. "All you have to do is smile, and wait here for a little while. Until we…"

He released her, though his gaze continued to hold hers. "…finish destroying Karakura Town."

Inoue's heart thudded as her entire façade stilled. _What is he saying? I haven't even restored the Hougyoku yet! There's no way he could already be moving forward with his plan. What is going on?_ "Destroy Karakura Town?"

"That's right," Aizen confirmed as he then turned to leisurely ascend the staircase.

She watched him rise higher and higher, the view of her beloved city inverted above him. She recognized every building and felt the return of all her attachments to that world. There wasn't a single thing she could to stop him, however, and as she watched on with impending despair she hoped with all her heart that someone somewhere was prepared to stop his advance.

"We are about to destroy Karakura Town and create the King's Key," Aizen explained, returning to stand beside both the former 3rd and 9th Squad Captains.

_But who is strong enough to conquer this overpowering reiatsu? _Inoue wondered in horror as the very air around her seemed to suffocate and crush every cell in her body. Aizen was powerful, more powerful than anyone she had ever met.

Aizen turned to stare out at the town, "Kaname."

"Sir?" His blind subordinate answered.

"Soaring Net of the Heavens."

"Yes," Kaname replied before lifting a hand and thrusting two curious objects to his right before shoving his arm into their path and allowing them to etch some sort of inscription upon his skin.

Inoue watched with unease as a large, square substance was formed a few feet from where his fingers remained outstretched.

"Way of Binding No. 77: Soaring Net of the Heavens."

A resounding echo encompassed the atmosphere then and Inoue suddenly realized that it was the same device 4th squad had used to communicate with everyone in Soul Society.

"Can you hear me, my dear intruders?" Aizen began calmly. "I applaud you for having defeated so many of my Espada, and shall reward you by telling you of our plans."

Inoue looked down at her hands briefly as she wondered how many had been defeated. She felt the tiniest sensation of relief that Ulquiorra had been sealed away. If that hadn't happened then it was possible that he would have been conquered as well.

"We are about to enter the real world," Aizen continued. "I shall leave Inoue Orihime in Tower No. 5. You are invited to take her back if you so desire."

Orihime's eyes widened as she looked up at him, entirely confused. Did he have no use for her at all? What had been the point in capturing her to begin with? Why was he suddenly allowing her friends to rescue her? Had he not been planning to kill her?

"I'm finished with her," Aizen stated. "Her abilities truly are wonderful. Her power to reject all matter of phenomena greatly oversteps the bounds of what any normal human should be able to do." He began to walk forward, slowly approaching the inverted portal. "The top brass of Soul Society understood just how great her power is. As such, kidnapping her would make Soul Society feel threatened. Rather than focus on the real world, Soul Society strengthened its own security."

Her heart plummeted then as Inoue listened to the truth behind her kidnapping. She had not saved her friends but, rather, led them into the elaborate trap Aizen had constructed. She had been nothing but a useless pawn within his game of tricks. Had Ulquiorra known the truth? Clenching a fist, she closed her eyes and desperately tried to hold onto the last semblance of merit she still granted the fourth Espada. There was no way of knowing whether he had been included within Aizen's confidence.

"Then she became the bait that would lure both the ryoka and Substitute Shinigami here to Hueco Mundo, leaving them unable to aid Soul Society. On top of that, I succeeded in luring four captains to Hueco Mundo to help them, and locking them all in." Aizen concluded with a detestable smile.

Inoue looked up to the ceiling as a sound almost like thunder reverberated through the walls. _He is sealing the Garganta._ She then watched Aizen enter his portal, as he took the first steps toward her town and the destruction thereof. She felt so stilled from shock that she could hardly grasp at anything she was feeling. All of her emotions had been frozen and her thoughts rendered imperceptible.

"The power of the 13 Protection Squads lies almost entirely within its 13 captains." Aizen proceeded, though his voice was growing fainter as he slowly advanced further from Inoue. "But of those 13, three have defected and four have been captured. One could say that Soul Society has lost half of its military power. This will be easy."

Inoue watched as he reached the other side, his form inhabiting the world she loved. It seemed so entirely surreal that such a place was to become nonexistent, that all the people she had ever known would soon perish at the hand of evil.

"We will eradicate Karakura Town, create the King's Key, and overthrow Soul Society." Aizen announced in complete self-assurance. "There will be plenty of time to fight you, my friends, after we're done with everything else."

Before Inoue could contemplate any further she began to hear other voices, though muffled, and wondered who they belonged to.

"Made it in time?" she heard Aizen say then. "Exactly what are you referring to? I am well aware that this isn't Karakura Town. But that means nothing to me. Stark, Barragan, Hallibel, come."

There was a lengthy pause, during which Inoue assumed his top three Espada had joined him within the real world. However, she was still perplexed by his statement that he wasn't actually in Karakura Town. What did that mean? Had the 13 Protection Squads done something? Were they the ones who had intercepted him?

She then felt a very small semblance of hope.

"If Karakura Town is in Soul Society," Aizen continued, "then I'll simply kill you here, and make the King's Key in Soul Society." He paused another moment before adding, "Until then, Los Noches…is in your hands, Ulquiorra."

The Soaring Net was disabled then as both Kaname and Ichimaru Gin moved to join Aizen, allowing the portal to close behind them. Inoue stood petrified following his final proclamation before hearing a sound resembling shattered glass from her far left.

Mind still numb to all but the sound of the name Aizen had voiced, Inoue's senses could not readily comprehend who had suddenly entered the room until and she heard his echoing response to his master's command.

"Yes, sir."

With a sharp exhale, her gaze widened as her head turned, her hair flaying out around her and the atmosphere seeming to suddenly halt in response to the silent command of reiatsu that Ulquiorra Cifer possessed.

He continued to walk forward, without seeming to acknowledge her presence before altogether stopping and deliberating another weighty moment before slowly turning his head to look over at her, the inflection of his eyes as always serving to pierce into the depths of her own.

Her gaze widened and wavered within his, as she saw not a trace of the gentleness she recognized across his features. His obvious resolve and detached disposition seeped through her entire core and once again instilled a cold, dark emptiness.

She saw him avert his eyes a brief moment and mutter something undetectable before returning his attention to her. For some entirely indiscernible reason, whatever he had inaudibly voiced instilled a very potent feeling of foreboding, of such intensity that it nearly left her breathless.

* * *

><p>Ulquiorra was roused from the continued silence and darkness that surrounded him as Aizen's orders reached his ears, a sudden, striking ray of light intercepting the container. He stepped forward before instantaneously thrusting a hand toward the fissure and reclaiming independence as he shattered all that remained of his confinement.<p>

His feet met the marble of the throne room, and his eyes took in the familiar white of the architecture before he quickly comprehended what Aizen had actually bestowed upon him. He was responsible for Los Noches while his master was absent, and his decisions therein would determine the fates of all locked inside the Hollow World.

"Yes, sir," he answered aloud.

Ulquiorra took a few steps forward, before slowly beginning to sense the presence of the one he had vowed himself against. He stopped and withheld his gaze for several breaths, as he withdrew and steeled himself against her alluring company.

He slowly, and almost hesitantly, lifted his eyes to meet hers. He felt the threatening impact of her face, as it pounded away at the carefully constructed walls of his mind. He felt the invasion against his soul and sent forth every defense at his disposal to dispel the onslaught.

He watched her gaze widen in response to his efforts and felt both relief and undesirable regret at having instilled within her the obvious realization that he was no longer someone she held any semblance of fascination over.

The reiatsu of the orange-haired Shinigami then alleviated his contemplations as he allowed his gaze to drift to the right, toward the direction of the quickly approaching individual. He had become more powerful, as predicted. Grimmjow's defeat had served its purpose well enough.

"Come, Kurosaki Ichigo." Ulquiorra stated silently, now entirely dedicated to ending the life of the Substitute teen. Inoue's presence meant nothing, and would no longer serve as a distraction to that which he was resolved to do. She would be forced to watch the demise of the man she loved, and he no longer felt a single shred of compassion at the prospect of her inevitable pain.

Returning his attention to Inoue, he slowly advanced forward, his every step calculated and guarded, the reflection beneath him displaying only practiced denial and centuries of empty desolation.

Inoue was motionless as she watched his approach, unable to avert her gaze and altogether denied any emotional response. Her thoughts were subdued, all confusion and turmoil momentarily absent as he claimed her exclusive, and complete consideration.

He stopped then, a few feet away, yet near enough so that she could observe every feature of his face and perplexing gleam within his arresting eyes. He continued to passively gaze upon her, his hold unrelenting and his presence oppressing all external reality.

Orihime felt no fear as she forced her eyes to remain locked within his, only a final, though faint, feeling of captivation. Despite everything, she still marveled at his ability to instill such a response. He was so obviously intent on casting aside all regard he held for her and yet, she could still recognize an almost imperceptible glimmer of interest, hidden within the emerald abyss that so strongly conveyed nothing but cruelty and indifference.

Violet, completely contemptible violet, continued to try and reclaim his soul within a vice of false promise as the woman stared up at him committedly. Ulquiorra fought the urge to remove his gaze, determined to emerge victorious from the battle they had silently begun. Most detestable was the fact that her eyes had suddenly softened as she seemed to detect something within his. He tried to strengthen his defenses but he could already feel them beginning to weaken. What had she seen? He despised himself for ever allowing her the opportunity to decode his mentality.

"Are you scared?" he asked then, regarding her intently and entirely desiring that she reply in the affirmative.

Silence followed and, when he realized she did not intend to reply, he continued slowly. "Aizen-sama no longer needs you. There's no one left to protect you." Perhaps she simply didn't understand all that such a truth implied.

Inoue continued to gaze up at him, her brows furrowing only slightly in response. His voice resounded through her heart, and fulfilled the longing she had been experiencing since the moment he was sealed away. His face, and his presence, all only served to intensify the realization that had finally started to present itself following the moment in which she had discerned her actual feelings regarding Ichigo. She was not at the point to which she could identify that insight, but she had already prepared herself for the acceptance of whatever it might be.

"You're finished," Ulquiorra continued, ignoring the expression that had crossed her face. "You will die here all on your own, without anyone to hold onto."

His words impaled themselves into her very core, but didn't sway her from the overwhelming effect of his presence over her dormant responses. The pain was accompanied with a faltering, yet continued warmth. Despite the unfeeling declaration of his words, Inoue no longer allowed such a cutting statement of truth to distract her from the strength her friends were lending. Even if Ulquiorra was prepared to rid himself of her, she had others to live for. She had others to share her heart with.

Her eyes continued to hold their strength as she inexorably held his gaze, their hues growing progressively gentler despite the intentionally hurtful infliction of the words he had so decisively chosen for the sole purpose of making her realize how little she could affect him.

"I asked if you're afraid," he stated, now conveying that he demanded an answer from her.

Orihime allowed the silence to envelop her as she searched his eyes for anything that might allow her to disregard everything he had just said. She masked the pain and desperately tried to allow her heart to remain open to the possibility that he was merely exaggerating his own defenses.

He was entirely absent of the intent to make his amends concerning his actions against Ichigo, and that, above all else, pained her the most. On top of which, she still could not find even a semblance of forgiveness within her own soul, and she despised both he and herself for that.

Despite himself, he allowed his eyes to briefly fall and rest upon her lips as he awaited her response. He felt the intoxicating desire to embrace them with his own, and had to forcibly remove his gaze to dispel such a compelling prospect.

_Damn_, he thought in dismay. _Even now…I can't completely cast her aside._

Still, the answer to his inquiry was the same as it had always been. "I'm not…scared."

His eyes widened as they returned to hers, his resolve progressively nearing a complete conversion.

"Everyone came here to rescue me," she explained fondly. "My heart is already…together with theirs."

Ulquiorra was no longer aware of Ichigo's approaching reiatsu as her words consumed the entirety of his focus. "Nonsense," he responded, still intent to make her see how foolish her invested devotion to her friends had been. "You're unafraid because your friends are here? Do you seriously…" His eyes intensified within hers, as a curious, soft and silent resolve continued to contort her façade. "Believe that?"

Inoue's eyes narrowed ever so slightly before she responded with a gentle and captivating, "I do."

Her statement encircled him and he felt his frozen desires begin to stir and thaw beneath the ever-present warmth that she unfailingly instilled.

"When I first heard that they had come to save me," she continued, "I was a little happy…and very sad." She brought her hands over her chest and cradled them there as she felt the rhythm of her heart beneath her touch.

Ulquiorra felt his breathing grow shallower as he listened to what she was revealing to him. She had been…sad when he had told her that? Why? He recalled her, in that defining moment, standing beneath the window, the moonlight glowing all around her and remembered when she had turned to face him, revealing the questioning and concerned set of her eyes.

"I came here because I wanted to protect them all." She delicately added, "I didn't understand why they came. I wondered why they didn't understand how I felt. But when I felt Kuchiki-san collapse…As I watched Kurosaki-kun fight…I realized none of that mattered."

Allowing his eyes to wander to the way she clutched her hands together and to observe the fall of her captivating strands of scarlet hair, Ulquiorra permitted her words to reach him. He felt the return, though faint, of his mesmeric regard for her.

"But still, I didn't want to see Kurosaki-kun get hurt. I just wanted everyone to be safe."

He absently noticed that the way in which she voiced Ichigo's name was devoid of the detestable and debilitating fondness it had once carried. Once a surging and hateful sea of devotion, it was now a still and polite affection for her friend. Was he imagining such a truth, or had her romantic attachment toward him actually faded?

"And that's when I realized something," she stated. "Everyone else must have felt the same way. If any of them suddenly disappeared like I did, I'm sure that I'd do the exact same thing." Her eyes were almost imploring then as she attempted to reach through to the fourth Espada.

"How ridiculous," he finally replied, as sharply as he could though felt the lack of any real revulsion. Her reflection burned itself through his eyes and into his harbored soul. "We already know what awaits both you and your friends. Their coming here…will not change the fact that all of you are going to die. There is no changing that."

He wanted her to hate him, wanted her to feel the fear that was only natural between humans and Espada. He wanted her to realize what he was, and how little she meant in comparison. However, even having voiced the prospect of her death, he found himself adverse to carry out such an action. He could kill everyone in Hueco Mundo… except her. He still could not bring himself to end her existence.

He watched as she lowered her hands and wrapped her arms tightly around her torso, her eyes set on him warily now.

"By sharing your feelings with your friends before your deaths, you humans are able to set yourselves at ease. It's a form of instinct that prevents you from falling into the pit of fear and despair." He paused and allowed her wavering gaze to comprehend what he was saying.

His voice then shifted only slightly, as he divulged something he had decided on during his confinement. Something that would undoubtedly succeed in her understanding that she no longer meant anything to him. "In reality, it is impossible for people to truly share their feelings. It's simply a human delusion."

Inoue held his eyes another moment before allowing her gaze to fall, as her head lowered slightly in response. She clutched herself tighter and suddenly pictured the moment in which she had gone to Kurosaki's room, their hands entwined and her lips nearing his. That moment had served to strengthen her for as long as she could remember. However…that image had been replaced by something else.

She saw herself during a time that seemed like so long ago, gazing up at Ulquiorra after hearing his thoughts concerning the ability to regain one's heart and at how impossible it was that she bore no hatred toward him. She remembered how she had felt nothing but pity and tenderness toward him before standing and approaching him. He had regarded her anxiously upon her advance but did not step back or push her away.

She had kissed him; she had kissed him because she had realized how deeply she cared for him. She had longed to unleash the potential she recognized within him; had longed for that with all heart. Now, as she continued to gaze at his reflection within the marble, she saw that same potential, hidden yet every bit as compelling.

"_If I should return changed, hold onto this moment in time and never forget it, even if the entire world falls apart, as it may very well."_

She smiled then. "That may be true. It may be impossible for us to all share the exact same feelings. "

She remembered crying over Ichigo, his face illuminated by her tears. She then recalled the night following Ulquiorra's fight with Nnoitra. She had cried for him too and had begged him to promise that he wouldn't ever die. She had reached him then, and he had proclaimed that as long as she remained alive, that he would as well.

"But when you both care for each other," she stated gently. "Your hearts are able to draw a little closer together."

She still cared for him; she knew that despite everything, and despite not being able to forgive him, she still cared for him just as dearly as she ever had.

"_Don't die, Kurosaki-kun!" _She remembered the desperation in her voice as she called out to Ichigo from the tower, his hollow mask in place and Grimmjow quickly approaching.

"_Don't ever die, Ulquiorra-kun." _She recalled how frightened she had been during his battle with the 5th Espada, and at how striking the thought of losing him had been.

"That's what it means when we say our hearts are one," Inoue explained with a gentle smile as all her memories of she and Ulquiorra coursed through her mind, instilling an intense and unprecedented attachment. She kept her eyes lowered and they delicately narrowed in fond contemplation.

There was a baited silence following her statement, during which Ulquiorra merely regarded her carefully. He watched her smile form, and detected the far-off glimmer of her eyes. What exactly had she been referring to? Her friends? Or had she been speaking of the relation between she and himself?

Nevertheless, she was entirely fascinating in that moment, standing before him without faltering, and retaining the happiness that no amount of hardship could deprive her of.

"Your hearts?" He voiced then, as always curious whenever the subject would arise.

She lifted her gaze and returned them to his as he took a step toward her.

"You humans say that word so lightly." Despite himself, he continued to close the distance separating them. "As if it were something one can hold in the palm of one's hand."

Her smile fell, but the attentive nature of her stare remained.

"My eyes see all," Ulquiorra explained as he allowed his feet their continued advance toward the woman before him, the closing proximity almost magnetizing in its power. "There's nothing that escapes their sight. Nothing exists that they can't see."

He then halted his steps, mere inches from where she stood, her eyes all the more mesmerizing within their current vicinity. "I've come to realize this during my fights."

Inoue recalled how he had struck Ichigo in the center of his chest and suddenly realized that he had been searching for the heart all along, perhaps for far longer than was humanly tangible. She knew that the answer, however, could not be found on the physical level. He had to learn to accept that which was invisible, the emotional and spiritual truths in regard to the heart. Such a perfect thing was not simply confined to the realm of sight.

"What is a heart?" He asked her outright, somewhat interested in what answer she would provide. He slowly lifted his hand then, as he had done many times before, though the gesture was neither threatening nor jesting. He allowed it to gently rest in front of her chest, as his eyes continued to hold hers. "Could I see it if I tore open your chest?"

Inoue silently watched him, her heart pounding almost painfully and her lungs fighting to continue their intake of air. He was so close, so agonizingly close. Closer than he had been in days and his hand was a mere breath away from touching her. She was too enraptured to move, and her lips remained parted in silent and wordless response to his inquiries.

His hand drifted upward, past her lips and stopping to reside between her eyes, as his fingers barely brushed at the skin upon her nose, the intimacy of the action allowing for Inoue to conjure the anonymous feeling she was desperate to decipher.

"Could I see it if I cracked open you head?" he asked, desperately deterring his mind from dwelling on the warmth of her skin against his fingertips, the smooth texture enticing the delicacy of his touch.

Her eyes widened slightly and she allowed for a soft and sharp exhale of breath, not only at his statement, but at the look she saw returning to his gaze. The look she hadn't seen in so long that it was almost paralyzing in its foreign and beautiful intensity. She could now almost see the cryptic answer within the nameless emotion that plagued her, waiting just beyond the threshold. All she had to do was reach out and dispel the shadows obscuring it.

He did not lower his hand, merely continued to hold it in place as he again felt how deprived he had been from the absence of her touch. He had not experienced her warmth in countless days and now that he was, he found himself without the will to deny it to himself any longer.

His mind was both warning him to keep his distance and simultaneously begging for her to outstretch her hand toward him. _Reach for me, Inoue Orihime. Reach for me and break my resolve once and for all._

Another moment ensued, another moment within the enchanting euphoria that had been created between them amidst some strange dimension absent of both time and reality. Ulquiorra felt his anger beginning to falter within the enthrallment she presented and Inoue openly regarded him with the forgiveness she fought to obtain.

If but another moment had been granted, the two would have found themselves within the embrace of the other, all sins amended and all hurt absolved. However, the connection they delicately shared was suddenly shattered as Ulquiorra's eyes widened in response to the reiatsu of the Kurosaki Ichigo, his mind at once recalling what he had resolved to do.

Lowering his hand, he turned his head in time to see the floor imploding and the answering form of the Shinigami Substitute ascend from within the rubble, Bankai assembled and sword at the ready. Ulquiorra met the hardened amber gaze of the boy, recognizing his continued determination to defend Inoue. The jealousy did not return, but his acceptance of the mission at hand remained. Kurosaki Ichigo had to die; there was no way around it.

Inoue Orihime would have to watch and subsequently release any remaining semblance of affection and reclaim her eternal resentment toward the killer of one of her companions, for that was all he would become to her following the deed.

The woman of his contemplations looked to Ichigo with initial confusion before seeming to comprehend what was about to ensue. She looked to Ulquiorra and saw the set of his façade as he continued to meet the defiant stare of the Shinigami. Her heart fell away from her chest, and her breaths altogether stopped in both anxiety and silent pleading.

She felt her soul breaking at the prospect of losing either one of them. Ulquiorra had promised not to die, and Ichigo had as well. However, the intent to kill was written upon both their faces and she suddenly began to feel very cold in apprehension of the inevitable battle.

Her greatest fear had taken form before her eyes, and she tried with all her might to refrain from standing between them, knowing full well that it would prove to be a useless effort. She contemplated grasping Ulquiorra's arm and pleading him to simply step away from the fight, but the connection she had shared with him had been entirely lost at the arrival of Ichigo.

Once again, she found there was nothing she could do to stop the course of fate.


	31. Silent Reaction

Chapter XXXI

Silent Reaction

_"It is not enough for me to ask questions; I want to know how to answer the one question that seems to encompass everything I face."_

_-Abraham J. Heschel_

* * *

><p>Silently, the pair stared at the Shinigami as the dust cleared. Ulquiorra's gaze was unwavering as he regarded the boy intensely. He did not know whether to feel relief or annoyance at Ichigo's disturbance, for he was certain that, if left to his own devices, even for a single moment, he would have completely forgone all prior resolve and taken the woman into his arms.<p>

Ichigo landed smoothly upon the marble and withheld his gaze as silence surrounded the tense atmosphere. Ulquiorra said nothing and Inoue simply stared at the two in restrained agony.

Lifting his eyes, Ichigo again met the cold, emerald stare of the fourth Espada, who turned toward him in response. Their eyes wordlessly conversed as the Shinigami conveyed his determination and resolve to emerge victorious; safely delivering both Inoue and all of his external companions to the world they belonged. Ulquiorra returned the challenge and guardedly allowed Ichigo to see the fathomless depths of his emptiness as well as the only purpose he had ever been assigned; to end the life of those who threatened Aizen. He withheld any gleam that would allude to Inoue, and the undeniable captivation therein.

His only regret was the fact that she would be forced to witness the gruesome end to the man she had once loved, and might still. The silence was suffocating as neither of the trio made a motion to move, all anxiously awaiting the initiation and fulfillment of the battle at hand.

It was Orihime who finally broke the stoic stillness, as she decided to try and petition Ichigo. However, amidst her efforts, she knew that Ulquiorra did not intend to let the Shinigami leave alive.

"Kurosaki-kun," she muttered softly.

Ichigo allowed his eyes to drift to hers as he tried to understand what she seemed so desperate to convey. As his gaze reached hers, Inoue furrowed her brows and allowed her mouth to part slightly. _I care for him, Kurosaki-kun…please spare his life. _Ichigo had always emerged from his battles victorious, and she was fairly confident in his abilities to win this match, despite the eminent and overpowering strength of the fourth Espada. However, he had refrained from killing every other opponent he had come across, and she desperately hoped that he would grant the same mercy to Ulquiorra.

Her eyes briefly wandered to the Espada, _Ulquiorra-kun, if you are the one to achieve victory, please allow Ichigo to live. If you still care about me even a little, please grant me that final favor._

She returned her gaze to Ichigo and his stilled features allowed for a tender smile as he released a faint exhale of relief. However, her anxious façade remained as she recognized that the purpose of his gesture had only been meant to satiate her fear of him losing, and not of the promise to grant Ulquiorra leniency. Her eyes wavered within his as she allowed for a soft and nearly inaudible breath of desperation.

"Get away from Inoue," Ichigo ordered as his attention returned to the Espada, obviously unaware of the connection the pair had once shared. He saw Ulquiorra as nothing but a menacing threat, one he was determined to protect Orihime from.

"Very well," Ulquiorra replied. "My job is to protect Los Noches until Aizen-sama returns." He paused and then decided to at least offer Inoue one final comfort. "I have not been ordered to kill this woman yet." He tilted his head toward her but refrained from meeting her gaze, certain that it would render him breathless. "I will let her live until I am ordered to do otherwise."

Inoue allowed her eyes to fall upon him, as she vainly sought his downcast gaze. Her heart stilled for a moment as she comprehended that at least his desire to spare her life had not been swayed. On some level, he still held an attachment for her, and that realization served to allow the smallest glow of warmth to encompass her chest.

"But you're a different story," Ulquiorra continued, lifting his head and allowing his gaze to slither toward Ichigo's, who met the powerful stare without faltering. "Killing you and protecting Los Noches go hand-in-hand."

Ulquiorra paused a moment before lifting his hand and slowly grasping the hilt of his sword, as Ichigo readied his stance in response. He drew the blade, the scrape of metal delicately resounding through the room and reverberating through Inoue's heart as she gasped and lifted a hand to her chest, taking a step back as the warmth began to dissipate. A cold and frightening dread began to seep into her soul, and she looked to Ulquiorra imploringly. However, she fully understood that he had absolutely no intention of granting Ichigo mercy. He had done so the first time, but would not the second. His favor, once lost, was nearly impossible to reclaim.

"You will die…" Ulquiorra stated, suspending his Zanpakuto toward the Shinigami. "…by my blade."

Ichigo then seemed to assess something within the Espada's gaze, as he saw the briefest glint of a solemn, and almost even remorseful, reluctance surrounding his cryptic stare. The reason, however, was entirely beyond his ability to interpret.

"I'm surprised," the Shinigami stated, "I never thought that you'd start the fight with your sword already drawn." He smirked in anticipation, "I figured I'd have to force you to draw your sword."

Ulquiorra said nothing, simply analyzed what the Shinigami was trying to say. It was true that he generally refrained from initiating a battle, but his assignment demanded fulfillment. He also found that he wanted to savor the fight to ensue. Ichigo had become strong, and would serve to vitalize the dormant exhilaration he rarely allowed himself to convey within a duel.

"Does this mean you've finally acknowledged me as an equal?" Ichigo asked, his voice lowering slightly.

"At the very least," Ulquiorra replied, "I've decided you are an entity that must be destroyed." Ichigo was silent a moment before suddenly smiling and tilting his head in resignation, "fair enough." He then took the first step forward, sword held firmly to his side.

Ulquiorra's response was immediate as he too advanced toward his opponent, one hand held in his pocket and the other lifting his sword to meet Ichigo's blade, the clatter of steel invigoratingly compelling.

Inoue released a harsh breath as Ulquiorra left her side, her eyes widening and her heart continuing to pulse relentlessly. However, she quickly raised her tri-link shield as the pair released a strong blast of spiritual pressure, the atmosphere bathed in the light emitted from their black and jade reiatsu.

She turned her head away a moment, before returning her gaze to their determined faces. Her hair was dancing wildly behind her, several strands prodding at her face and instigating a slight watering of her eyes. "Kurosaki-kun…" she whispered. _Ulquiorra-kun…_

Their swords again clashed, and they allowed their reiatsu to lash out behind them, filling the hall with agitated dust and prompting the wall on the opposite side to explode, allowing the sun's light to filter into the space.

They separated and Ulquiorra stood several feet from his opponent, sword outstretched and saturated with the blood of the Shinigami, the sound of its drops resounding sickeningly against the marble receiving it, the light radiating his forlorn and imposing figure.

Ichigo stood opposite, his sword lowered, defensive, as his coat billowed behind him, dancing in sync with the dust that surrounded his position.

Ulquiorra studied him intensely, his eyes calculating his abilities and suppressing their constant enticement to rest upon the woman beside them. Ichigo's eyes wavered slightly within the Espada's before he once again advanced, sword prepared for the onslaught.

Ulquiorra remained motionless as he simply surveyed his approach, his mind returning to the familiar mode of careful examination. He swiftly lifted his sword and blocked the attack, though the angle into which his wrist had been forced initiated a trembling that progressed from his hand to his arm. The floor beneath him caved from their combined weight and spiritual influence, and the dust continued to surround them unrelentingly.

The Espada held Ichigo's gaze, his face firmly set into a cold determination. Ichigo gritted his teeth before pushing against his defenses with every ounce of strength he currently held. He dodged a kick, before lifting his sword and attempting a thrust.

Ulquiorra jumped out of the way, maneuvering his body to face downward, before quickly falling toward his opponent, allowing gravity to increase the speed of his attack as he held his sword decisively to the side.

Ichigo's eyes narrowed, "Getsuga Tenshou!" He summoned the black and crimson offense before sending it flying up and toward the nearing Espada.

Ulquiorra split his attack in half, sending each side crashing into the walls opposite before suspending a mere instant within his descent. He performed a sonido and appeared behind the Shinigami, sword aimed for the back of his head.

Ichigo's eyes widened and he gritted his teeth before quickly turning and blocking the thrust, momentarily catching the Espada's resolute gaze before removing his sword.

Ulquiorra continued to slash at the Shinigami, who succeeded in countering all of his attacks. He then halted a moment before unleashing a more focused and powerful thrust. Ichigo lifted his sword and was able to redirect the blow to his shoulder, the blade piercing his skin coldly.

The Espada pointed a finger and gently placed it over the hilt of his Zanpakuto, his aim set between the Shinigami's eyes. Ichigo's gaze widened in response to the surrounding light of the emerald cero as the air itself cringed in anticipation of the onslaught.

Ulquiorra released the attack and watched as his opponent was smothered within the many shades of jade, the very walls corroding in response to the sheer force of his ability. The dust cleared, and as he lowered his hands, he saw Ichigo, using the support of his sword to remain standing.

"You survived my cero without having to pull out that mask. You've grown stronger," Ulquiorra stated as he observed the tattered Shinigami straighten himself; tattered, bleeding and breathless. "Is it because you defeated Grimmjow?"

Ichigo said nothing, simply fought to regulate his unsteady breaths, his heart racing relentlessly and the skin on his body searing in response to the attack he had just been dealt.

"Or…" Ulquiorra continued, his mind wandering to Inoue despite his efforts to avoid all consideration of her. "…because of your friends who are fighting below the tower?" For some confounding reason, he could not seem to appease his mind of the words she had spoken several moments ago.

Ichigo lifted a hand and wiped the blood from his mouth, his eyes remaining locked on his opponent for any indication of movement.

Ulquiorra's eyes shifted, only slightly but enough to capture the violet gaze of the individual across the room. "Or perhaps…" he began, his words growing calmer as he observed Inoue's face and continuous dance of hair. "…because of that woman?"

Inoue's eyes wavered within his, her mouth set impassively and her heart continuing to pound violently, as if it were attempting to break through her very chest.

Ichigo did not respond, simply studied the Espada without expression before allowing his eyes to narrow slightly. Something about the way he was staring at Inoue unnerved him.

The Espada tore his eyes away from Orihime and forcibly returned them to Ichigo. "That woman is one of us now." The wind continued to sweep through the opening in the wall and throughout the room, billowing through his coat and dark strands of hair. "That will never change, even if you do rescue her."

Despite her casting him aside, Ulquiorra knew that it had not been only he to undergo an irreversible transformation; Inoue had been altered as well. The revision within her had been both subtle and absolute.

Ichigo's eyes widened and his brows set aggressively. "What?" He remembered Grimmjow informing him of something similar during their fight. The sixth Espada had alluded to the possibility that Inoue had been messed up on the _inside._ He had no idea what that meant but couldn't help the unsettling feeling in response to such a threat.

"Saving her is meaningless," Ulquiorra continued listlessly.

Ichigo gritted his teeth, "that's not for you to decide."

_He's right, _Ulquiorra pondered in passing, _she made her choice a long time ago. _"You're right. Aizen-sama will be the judge of that." In reality, however, he knew that Aizen no longer had anything to do with the situation.

The Espada advanced suddenly, his blade direct and prepared as it neared the Shinigami before him. Ichigo's eyes widened as he realized there was no time to dodge the attack. Ulquiorra's hand then trembled slightly as he felt the eyes of the woman behind him, imploring and enveloping. He thrust the Zanpakuto into the wall beside Ichigo's head and simply gazed down at his opponent spitefully. He still wasn't going to be able to end his life in front of her, there was no avoiding it.

Ichigo stared up at him a moment, too focused on the battle to ponder on his confusion over the Espada having forgone a flawless strike. He maneuvered out of the way and Inoue watched in stunned silence as she wrapped her arms about her waist tightly. Why had Ulquiorra intentionally avoided killing Ichigo? Countless particles of rubble filled the air, entirely disturbed by the unabashed release of power from the two fighters.

She strained her eyes to keep up with their movements, determined not to miss a single parry or lunge. Ichigo yelled and lashed out against the Espada, executing a potent swing of his sword. Ulquiorra reflexively deflected the attack, his guarded gaze fixed on the predictable actions of the young Shinigami. He pressed down on Ichigo's blade with his own, forcing its guard to lower before lifting his Zanpakuto and slashing out at the head of his opponent. Ichigo quickly stooped to avoid the assault, his hold on the hilt of his sword tightening.

Inoue's brows furrowed anxiously as she watched each perform expert maneuvers, while simultaneously avoiding every offensive attack. The nightmare before her eyes was unfolding at an excruciatingly slow pace and she found herself dreading the arrival of the inevitable end to their battle. Her mind didn't even seem able to envision a fatal outcome on either side; the fear, denial and hope blockading the harsh reality of what was ensuing. If Ichigo won then the result would be the continuation of his participation in the war against Aizen, and the return of she and all their companions to the place they knew as home. However…

Her gaze drifted and settled on Ulquiorra as she observed his movements and subtle expression of his eyes. What would happen if he were to emerge victorious? Would he proceed to kill all of her friends, or would ending Ichigo's life satiate his obligation to Aizen? She suspected that he wouldn't allow her to leave, though also wondered what he intended to do with her. She would not be able to forgive him. Would she remain his prisoner for the rest of her existence? He had already admitted that he would be unable to kill her and so her life would encompass only a captive and confining resentment. Would he really find a single measure of fulfillment within such bitter interaction?

Ichigo endeavored a similar attack against Ulquiorra as he swung his blade toward his head, which was sent slashing across the pillar behind the Espada as he hunched to avoid the maneuver. His emerald stare prodded into Ichigo's as he slowly lifted his sword and plunged it forward, the Shinigami avoiding the attempt easily.

"There's more," Ulquiorra prodded before unleashing a quick, almost imperceptible series of thrusts.

Ichigo expertly avoided them all, his eyes following the speed of the Espada's attacks effortlessly. He countered and then jumped out of the way as nearby column fell in response. Ulquiorra advanced and Ichigo watched him carefully_. It's okay_, he saw his opponent lift his sword to execute yet another lunge_. I can see it. I can respond._

He dodged the initial thrust and firmly held his composed gaze within the incapacitating and chilling eyes of the Espada. _Just because he drew his sword doesn't mean his fighting style changed. His reach has just gotten a little longer. _

The Shinigami continued to avoid the identical onslaught of rapid lunges. _Watch carefully, _he fervently reminded himself, willing his eyes to listen. _Watch carefully! _His gaze widened as he recognized an opening. _Focus! _

As Ulquiorra continued to relentlessly prod his sword he eventually, for only the briefest instant, imperceptibly slowed. He had caught sight of Inoue within his peripheral, the billowing tresses of her hair flooding through his external vision and mingling within his harbored and reluctant thoughts. Ichigo's hand shot out quickly and grasped his wrist firmly, halting his movements and preventing him from escape. Ulquiorra's eyes widened and he simply stared down at the strong grip on his arm, detesting the fact that he had permitted even a fleeting opening.

Ichigo expressionlessly regarded the Espada a moment before he slowly lifted his sword, his gaze intensifying as he delivered a solid slash across the alabaster chest of his opponent. Ulquiorra merely considered the Shinigami in astonishment as the black reiatsu seeped through his skin and inflicted a scorching burn through his torso.

The Espada faltered a moment before abruptly retracting from his opponent, his head lowered and his shoulders stooped as he paused to comprehend what had just taken place. He deliberated before slowly lifting his gaze and indiscernibly frowning as his shirt fell open and split to reveal his injured chest, the hollow void and branded four. Blood seeped from the incision, staining the white of his skin.

"I barely cut you," Ichigo observed, posture tense as he readied himself for a retaliation. "Is it because of your Hierro? It sure is tough."

Ulquiorra neither responded nor acknowledged the Shinigami as he straightened and brought a hand to his chest, eyes set and observing the crimson on his fingertips. Aside from the other Espada, he had never encountered someone who could inflict even a single scratch across his hardened skin.

Inoue's eyes did not waver as she allowed them to remain fixed upon Ulquiorra, her mouth parted in silent, and altogether unsolicited, words of concern. Both the blood and cruelly inscribed four engraved themselves into her mind as she found herself entirely unable to even move. Her worry and overwhelming unease firmly etched their presence into her heart, rendering her completely defenseless against their oppressing sovereignty.

"But it looks like I can read your movements better now," Ichigo continued.

Ulquiorra finally lifted his head and met the gaze of the Shinigami, "What was that?"

"The last time I fought you, I couldn't read your movements at all," Ichigo admitted. "I couldn't read your attacks, defense, counters, speed, movement…nothing. I felt like I was a statue fighting a machine." He smiled then, for reasons Ulquiorra couldn't even begin to fathom. What was so amusing about that?

"Maybe I'm able to read your movements because I've become more like a Hollow…" Ichigo's smile possessed an almost ironic presence. "…or maybe it's because you've become more like me."

Ulquiorra tried to refrain from the impulse to widen his eyes following the Shinigami's statement, but the sudden havoc inflicted within his mind encircled his entire being without restraint. _So he has seen through me…_The mere fact that he had become so easy to read, and the realization that he was not completely cloaking his undesirable inclinations instilled an intense and uncontainable irritation.

Inoue had changed him, of that he was well aware. However, he had not noticed that it had begun to corrode even his more disciplined and once impenetrable, exterior defenses. He wondered if she was looking at him in that moment; he speculated on the expression she might offer. Were her violet eyes filled with awe or resentment? Were her lips parted in anxiety or scorn? Were her hands clenched in hope or denial? Was her heart beating in compassion or was it continuously cursing him? It all was he could do to refrain from glancing over to confirm his musings.

Mostly…he was wary to discover what he would find across her features and ultimately detested the fact that she could instill even the faintest trace of uncertainty within him.

Allowing his mind to refocus on Ichigo, he gripped the hilt of his sword tightly before thrusting it into the ground, feeling the anger and darkness beginning to overshadow his better judgment. He could not fathom how the boy dared to presume upon the understanding of his character. The outburst of reiatsu compelled the rubble around him to ascend and the floor beneath his feet to cave.

The sound echoed throughout the hall as Ichigo's eyes widened and Inoue exhaled nervously. She could feel the violent energy emitted by the Espada, the dark oppression invading her soul and prompting her mind to cringe in apprehension of the reaction that might follow Ulquiorra's display of aggravation. Ichigo had no idea how foolish it had been to encroach upon such sensitive territory. She, herself, had always needed to be patient and gentle when it came to attempting the topic of the Espada's dormant humanity. During all her time with him, she had come to realize that it was one of the only things that seemed to provoke a reaction from Ulquiorra.

The jaded stare of the fourth Espada gazed unwaveringly at his opponent, entirely resentful and completely determined to prove the Shinigami wrong and convey the absolute absence of humanity from within his hollowed existence.

"I've become more like a human?" Ulquiorra asked disdainfully.

Ichigo watched him silently before adjusting his stance and readying his Zanpakuto. Inoue allowed for another soft exhale, as her hair was carried within the air that had been aggravated by Ulquiorra's reiatsu. She watched him carefully, her arms wrapped tightly around her torso. The fact that he was exhibiting a completely opposite reaction to the implication of his gentler nature from when he had openly spoken of it to her earlier, somewhat marveled her.

"I see," Ulquiorra continued, the lackluster set of his demeanor hiding any and all inward conflict. "You seem rather excited that you're able to keep up with such low-level abilities."

He then allowed for his spiritual pressure to rise, his hand again tightening on the hilt of his weapon. Ichigo's eyes widened in response to the suffocating atmosphere as the overwhelming reiatsu of the Espada seemed to seep into every cell within his body, momentarily immobilizing his responses.

Ulquiorra recognized the opportunity and jumped, Zanpakuto aimed above the Shinigami's head. Ichigo's eyes continued to widen and Inoue held her breath as the impact between the two enshrouded their forms in dust. She felt a faint swell of relief as Kurosaki jumped away from the clouded area, his eyes set for any movement from the Espada. Ulquiorra immediately proceeded to sonido behind the unaware Shinigami, entirely determined to instill another wound on his opponent.

"I don't think so," Ichigo stated through gritted teeth as his gaze quickly settled on the man behind him. He lifted his sword, prepared to strike. However, Ulquiorra perceived his reaction and easily diverted the attack, once again claiming his place behind the Shinigami's back.

Gaze widening, Ichigo's eyes hastily shifted to meet the invigorated stare of the Espada. _This is it, _Ulquiorra reasoned triumphantly before quickly lowering his sword, aim steady and precise and evasion entirely impossible.

However, the metal of his blade did not meet the anticipated neck of his opponent as it was entirely halted by a firm and illuminating golden barrier. He wordlessly stared at the brilliant expanse, his mind instantly comprehending the individual responsible for the interference. From behind him, the scarlet haired woman stood, her gaze focused, arms outstretched and façade focused in concentration.

Another moment ensued before the shield shattered, the pieces resembling glass as they clattered to the floor. Hands still held out in front of her, Inoue simply stared at the pair without expression, her thoughts attempting to reclaim her impulses. She had reacted without preamble, the only thought being that she had no other option but to prevent Ulquiorra from ending the life of her friend, even if it meant that he would resent her for such an action. _Ulquiorra-kun…_she pleaded the Espada silently, _why would you try and hurt him in front me like that? _The simple truth of it was merely that she would not have been able to handle seeing him strike Ichigo down, despite knowing that her interference had not been entirely honorable to the essence of dueling. _I would've done the same for you…_she stated, though was surprised at her own hesitance to accept such a truth.

Ichigo…no…both of their lives were worth much more than the code of battle and the deterioration of bitterness.

Another wordless interlude followed before Ulquiorra finally turned his head to face her, his eyes ignoring their earlier resolve to withhold satiating their desire to behold her image. The fragments of her shield drifted past him, serving as verification to the extent of her denunciation of him. She had defended that Shinigami, had prevented him from retaliating against the slash he had received earlier.

Inoue defiantly met his stare, brows furrowed and her mouth set in determination. Her façade was aglow with the fire of her resolve and the depth of a burning ambition to protect those she cared for. Ulquiorra desperately willed the frozen and hardened levels of his inward blockade to deflect the scorching inferno that was her entire existence. However, within her eyes, he saw the despondency at having to almost witness her friend begin hurt. It made him feel entirely repulsed.

The last of the golden pieces fell to the floor, filling the space with a delicate metallic sound. Inoue continued to watch Ulquiorra, her posture rigid and her arms held out almost defensively. She had no idea what to expect by way of a reaction from him. She breathed in and out heavily, her heart undeniably anxious. He simply regarded her silently, somewhat reveling within the obvious discomfort she was experiencing.

"What are you doing?" he asked, though the question was more rhetorical. He was entirely certain of the motives behind her actions but strangely found he wanted to hear the admission from her own lips.

Inoue gasped and her mouth parted as she looked to him with widened eyes, his question somehow intimidating. The tone in his voice, more than anything, suggested a restrained agitation as well as a trace of the ever-elusive and cryptic curiosity she had come to know so well.

Ulquiorra was silent as he observed her changing expression, the uncertainty in her eyes growing more prominent and the determination all but absent. He resented her more than ever in that moment; resented her for continuing her devotion to the Shinigami, while even going so far as to blatantly interfere with the task he had been assigned. A mere human had no place to involve herself in such a matter. "I asked you _why_ you helped him," Ulquiorra stated, the demanding edge to his voice deliberately apparent.

Inoue faltered another moment before slowly lowering her hands, the beats of her heart enticing the blood within her veins to flow with sweltering rapidity. Ulquiorra rarely regarded her in such a way, the gentleness she had always admired now so hidden that it was nearly undetectable. _He looks so_…_angry with me_, she thought helplessly, his unfeeling stare entering through her vision and spreading like a plague through her entire body, infusing a pain she had never known before, a pain she could neither explain nor even really describe.

_What…is this? _She thought, _why do I suddenly feel as if it would be excruciating to even breathe?_

"Why?" She managed weakly, her resolve slowly becoming less potent. "Well, because…"

"Because he's your friend?" Ulquiorra finished. "Then…" his gaze became even more penetrating. "Why didn't you protect him from my first attack?"

He knew the answer to such a question would serve no purpose whatsoever; however…he needed to hear her say it to him, he desired her full, unabashed disclosure, once and for all.

"Why did you wait?" he asked then, the implications and meaning behind that single question encompassing so much more than current context. His eyes captured hers entirely, their infiltration seeping deeper with each moment that passed.

"I-I didn't!" Inoue replied frantically, leaning toward him desperately. She could no longer see anything but him, her cognizance concentrated solely on his form and the inquiry he had voiced. She knew what he was asking, knew that he wanted to know why she had brought him to a place he could never leave, a place he was unfamiliar with, a place of confusion and incomplete enlightenment. She wanted to convey how very much she still cared, wanted to tell him that she no longer romanticized her attachment to Ichigo. That Kurosaki, despite the continued attraction he instilled, was merely a very good friend, one she would always love and value as such.

_I still can't forgive you, _Inoue thought sadly, _and yet…I want to tell you all of these things while I still can, while there's still a chance I might reach you… _

"You're not sure," Ulquiorra clarified for her. He simply gazed at her for another breath before turning to face her fully, his mind entirely focused on her whilst the presence of Ichigo faded to the recesses of his awareness. He slowly began to approach her, his eyes continuing to hold her consideration. "Then let me explain. You-"

_You harbored feelings for the Shinigami all along…why then, did you wait to convey such emotions to me? Why did you wait to tell me of that which you could not let go? Why did you wait until after  
>I was entirely destroyed? Why did you wait….to release me from your enchanting presence?<em>

However, he was cut off by an impatient Ichigo, who continued in his ignorance of their disposition. "Would you shut up already?"

Ulquiorra immediately stopped, suddenly remembering the presence of the Shinigami behind him. He inclined his head toward the boy, his face impassive.

"You keep going on and on about all this crap," Ichigo continued, his stance tense. "Am I supposed to care?"

Inoue brought a hand to her chest, and stared at Ichigo without expression as she desperately tried to recall what he was referring to. All she could focus on was that her last opportunity to end the fight had been lost, as well as the chance to tell Ulquiorra something important.

"Thanks for the assist, Inoue," Ichigo explained with a small smile.

Orihime inhaled sharply, but did not return the gesture, her heart beginning to pound as she saw the familiar gleam of eagerness with her friend's russet eyes. The battle was going to recommence, and she would have to once again witness the struggle of each Ulquiorra and Ichigo, as well as experience all the anxiety and sorrow that would accompany it. _Please, Kurosaki-kun…don't…that's enough fighting…_

"But this is gonna get dangerous, so stay back," Ichigo advised as his gaze once again set upon the fourth Espada, the resolution to defeat him rejuvenated.

Inoue's brows furrowed, and she felt her heart slowly breaking as she again felt powerless to prevent the horror that threatened to ensue. She couldn't bear another moment of it, her desperation and wordless pleading mingled within the silence, unnoticed and unacknowledged. "Kurosaki-kun…" she whispered delicately, her eyes wavering.

Glancing very briefly to Ulquiorra, she saw that he was continuing to withhold all tenderness and empathy, his gaze unmoving as he continued to rest it upon her. There were so many questions that would remain unanswered, and so many explanations that would go unheard.

Closing her eyes, and resigning herself to fate, she sadly turned and rushed to the other side of the room, her tears held within and her hand clutching tightly at the fabric over her chest. She stopped and absently stared at the wall, afraid to turn and see yet another infliction of pain on either one of them. Had Ulquiorra been upset because she had defended Ichigo and not him? The simple explanation was that she could trust Ichigo not to kill the Espada, while she could not entirely say the same for Ulquiorra, whom had already come close to killing her friend once before.

_And also…_she admitted sullenly, _I never want to see you do something like that…I…can't ever…see you hurt someone like that, Ulquiorra-kun…_

"I'm surprised at how talkative you are, Ulquiorra," she heard Ichigo say, his voice resounding throughout the hall. "I always thought you were the silent type."

Ulquiorra regarded the Shinigami wordlessly, the attention of his mind attempting to reform and gather within the present. It relentlessly pictured the woman, it unremittingly replayed her voice, it persistently recalled each and every moment had spent with her. However, his dedication to Aizen had to come first. He had to detach himself from the woman, had to with every ounce of willpower he possessed. He had to detach himself in order to fulfill the orders of Aizen.

Ichigo began to summon his black and crimson reiatsu around his blade, his eyes set steadily on his target. The air was stirred within the rise of spiritual pressure as it billowed through both the Shinigami's and Espada's garments.

Inoue turned, her eyes wide as her eyes fell upon both men in turn. Ichigo was invigorated and motivated, while Ulquiorra appeared collected and confident. Even though both were entirely different, she had somehow been able to understand each of them equally.

"Getsuga Tenshou, again?" Ulquiorra asked listlessly, "Haven't you realized that doesn't affect me?"

Ichigo ignored the jab as he rushed forward and released a battle cry, his hands gripping Zangetsu tightly and his dark reiatsu encircling the blade fiercely.

Ulquiorra readied himself to counter with Murcielago, his gaze once again flickering to the woman on the far side of the room. She lifted her gaze to his, and openly displayed all of her worry and discouragement.

_That woman…_he thought, _that damn woman is still looking at me exactly the same as before…her eyes they…never…ever…change._


	32. Enclosing Serenity

Chapter XXXII

Enclosing Serenity

"_In the interval which separates two desires a perfect calm reigns in the mind."_

_- Sivananda_

* * *

><p>Ulquiorra's eyes widened as his attention reverted to Ichigo and he saw that the Shinigami had effectively sustained Getsuga around his Zanpakuto, increasing his attack power. He quickly lifted his blade and blocked the onslaught, though the mere force of it sent them both coursing across the hall, the marble beneath their feet seeming slick as ice.<p>

The Espada held his opponent's gaze fiercely, the red reiatsu surrounding them both as Ichigo's determined outcry echoed throughout the space. Ulquiorra held the clash of weapons a moment longer before shifting his stance and thrusting Ichigo away. As the teen leered down at him, suspended in the air with his unrelenting Getsuga, Ulquiorra lifted his head slightly, mildly intrigued with the Shinigami's new implementation of his most prominent technique.

'_Oh?' _the Espada pondered. '_He kept the Lunar Fang's energy wrapped around his blade instead of firing it, creating a sword strike with the same force as the wave attack. _

Ichigo again lifted his sword before pushing himself against the pillar behind him, propelling his body forward and releasing another purposeful shout. Ulquiorra stood his ground a moment, slightly lifting his sword, before withdrawing it and jumping away from the approaching strike. Ichigo's sword met the ground, again desecrating the floor in a wild splay of rubble, before he paused and gasped when Ulquiorra executed a sonido behind him, blade raised to attack.

"Please." The Espada chastised listlessly.

Ichigo quickly turned, his reiatsu encircling his Zanpakuto as he lifted it to meet the weapon of his enemy, his spiritual pressure erupting and again encompassing the hall. When the display of crimson light vanished, the Shinigami's eyes widened when he saw that his power had proved entirely futile against Ulquiorra.

"I know you're proud of yourself for using what little brains you possess, but have you learned nothing?" The Espada admonished, his sword steady against the Shinigami's. "Even with your mask on, your Lunar Fang couldn't strike me down." He willed his eyes to pierce through and convey to Ichigo the absolute reality of his words. "An unmasked Lunar Fang is a pointless waste of time, no matter how you use it."

Ichigo grunted in response before he leapt back and avoided an attempted strike from the Espada, who then immediately advanced on him. Inoue stood several away, her eyes following their movements and her hand clenched tightly over her chest. The crease of her brows conveyed the anxiety that relentlessly continued to tear throughout her entire body and her parted mouth released the silent and entirely futile pleas for them both to simply lower their swords and denounce victory.

She exhaled softly as her gaze rested on Ichigo, and released another uneasy breath when they wandered and resided upon Ulquiorra. She watched their ferocious clash of weapons and felt her heart falling deeper into the shrouded core of her soul. She saw the relentless and aggressive expression on Ichigo's face, of such viciousness that a troubling remoteness accompanied it. She had rarely ever witnessed him in such a state and, now that he was parrying against the fourth Espada, against…Ulquiorra…she wondered if he really would let him walk away after all.

"Kurosaki-kun…" she muttered helplessly. _Please…_Her eyes shifted ever so slightly and again settled on the Espada, her heart quickening it's sickening pace. _Please…let Ulquiorra live…_

Her rigid posture intensified briefly before she felt a set of hands encircle her waist while another clasped itself tightly over her mouth. _Who…?_ She wondered before she forcibly turned her head, effectively identifying her imposing attacker.

The brunette grinned maniacally down at Orihime, her eyes aglow with contempt and rage. "Gotcha," she sang before giggling. "Remember me? Probably not, huh? "

Several memories invaded Orihime's mind concerning the girl beside her. She saw herself being pushed and shoved around by the jealous Arrancar, and instantly recalled the powerlessness she had felt. However, her strength had been summoned upon her reminiscence of…_him._ This thought, even now, remained most prominent.

"Yeah, why would a freak like you…bother taking note of a normal girl like me?" Lolly continued spitefully before lowering her lips to Inoue's ear. "But your time sitting around on the top floor is over."

Orihime released a muffled exhale, which was heard by Ichigo as his eyes suddenly widened in response. He stopped suddenly and looked behind him. "Inoue!" He saw her struggling against her two captors and felt a new desperation fill his core. "Who're they!"

Ulquiorra did not respond, simply allowed his eyes to settle on the scene before him. His gaze briefly met Orihime's as she momentarily eased her struggling to accommodate his scrutiny. Her heart was quieted for the slowly elapsing seconds that ensued before he altogether withdrew his attention, leaving her feeling cold in its absence.

Without a second thought, the Shinigami turned and sprinted toward his friend, intent on freeing her from her captors. Lolly looked to the approaching teen before suddenly yanking Orihime from Melony's grasp and lifting a hand to surround her violet eye.

"Stay back!" she ordered Ichigo threateningly, her nails digging into the girl's tender skin. "One step closer and I'll rip her eye out!"

Inoue's gaze widened as she tried to call out against Ichigo's approach, her attempts pointless against the hand that continued to restrain her mouth. What was he planning to do? Her heart palpated nervously as he relentlessly advanced toward them, the fingers against her eye enclosing slowly. _Kurosaki-kun stop! _She wordlessly demanded.

Ulquiorra watched the Shinigami in utter disbelief. Was this actually happening? His grip tightened over Murcielago as his mind revisited its detestable state of turmoil. Whatever his opponent intended to do would only end up placing Orihime directly in harm's way. _But why should I care? _He attempted to reason with himself. _I have denounced her; I have entirely cast aside all exclusive regard for her. _His eyes, however, traitorously opposed his mind and reclaimed their attention on the woman that incessantly plagued him.

He saw her, desperate and anxious, with a widened gaze focused on the onslaught approaching. Then, almost imperceptivity, her gaze met his and he felt his reservations falter instantly.

_Damn it all, _he cursed before hearing the Shinigami begin to announce his Lunar Fang attack. Without further hesitation, he hastily performed a sonido and outstretched his arms as he came to a standstill between Ichigo and the trio behind him.

The Shinigami froze just long enough for Ulquiorra to lift his sword to meet Zangetsu, altogether preventing the attack from reaching Orihime. Lolly's eyes widened in disbelief as she subconsciously released Inoue, who fell to her knees on the ground, gaze entirely focused on Ulquiorra.

_He…saved me just now. _She thought breathlessly as the memory of his interception unremittingly replayed itself. He had outstretched his arms, had been prepared to take the full impact of the attack, which would have been inflicted had Ichigo not hesitated.

When the Shinigami's attack was completely dispelled, Ulquiorra thrust him back, his gaze hardened and his mind somewhat irritated with himself and his opponent.

"Ulquiorra?" Lolly stated as the fourth Espada relaxed his posture.

"Don't mistake me," Ulquiorra replied, turning slightly to meet her astonished gaze. He couldn't bring himself to look upon Inoue, but found himself unable to refrain from confirming his intentions. "I didn't do it to save you two."

_You two…_Orihime thought as she effortlessly attempted to reclaim his eyes. _Melony and Lolly…_He had just voiced that which he had so fervently attempted to deny. _Ulquiorra-kun…_she inaudibly called for him.

As if her words had somehow reached him, his eyes again betrayed his will and fell upon her, their jaded hues retrieving and arresting her gaze. He heard Ichigo's outcry and, without removing his attention from the girl before him, lifted his sword and effortlessly blocked the Shinigami's attempted strike.

"Move it!" Ichigo ordered through gritted teeth.

Reluctantly, Ulquiorra allowed his gaze to slither into that of his opponent. "Make me."

_Make me release all restraint that inhibits me in the presence of that woman…relentlessly instigate my dormant rage and overshadow the lesser affections I regrettably continue to hold in regard to she who claims my gentle derision. _

Ulquiorra lashed out and attempted a thrust, which Ichigo easily evaded. The Espada then advanced toward his retreating figure and away from the piercing gaze of the woman behind him. Inoue weakly stood, the effect of the fourth's eyes continuing to hold her. She could not take it anymore; she had to convince Ichigo to stop. "Kurosaki-kun!" she shouted as forcibly as she could manage.

However, her eyes flickered to Lolly as the latter suddenly grasped her arm in one hand and brought the other over her shoulder, pushing her back down. Orihime gasped and closed her eyes shut.

"Guess your boyfriend's as useless as you," the Arrancar jeered.

Orihime knew she wasn't talking about Ichigo. Ulquiorra had been slandered by many of his comrades in regards to his relationship with her, of that she had always been sorely aware. Lolly considered him useless for allowing his feelings to intervene against her ploy to inflict harm over his _'pet'_, as they had all so mockingly labeled her.

But still, the word _boyfriend _had struck Orihime as somehow misplaced. It was such a common and familiar term, something that, though it might have been undeniably fitting to the way she and Ulquiorra had once been, did not seem to encompass all that they were. It almost seemed to belittle what they had shared…which, in itself was strange, for she had yet to recognize what exactly it had all, and still, meant.

"Melony," Lolly ordered, "rip this bitch to shreds."

Inoue hesitated before slowly lifting her head to meet the gaze of the blonde Arrancar, whose expression had taken on one of dread and reluctance.

"Melony?" Lolly asked, straightening to better observe her comrade.

Melony turned, though her eyes remained fixed on the brunette. "No, I don't want to!"

"What the hell?" Lolly objected, her eyes enraged and her hold on Inoue tightening. "It's too late now-"

"She's got the power to heal any injury…" Melony continued softly. "There's just no point!" Her gaze shifted to the dueling pair before them. "It won't change a thing."

Lolly suddenly released Inoue and grabbed her friend by the cloth at her neck, her eyes and grin menacing. "Oh, so you don't wanna hurt her because she saved your life?"

"I didn't say that-" Melony objected, turning her face away.

"Coward!" Lolly shouted, thrusting her forward angrily before straightening and looking to Inoue. "Fine, I'll do it myself."

Inoue gasped as her eyes subsequently widened. _What do I do? _She tried to remember all that Ulquiorra had briefly instructed her on concerning fighting. However…she had no weapon. He had never informed her on what to do without one. _I have Tsubaki_, she reminded herself before that idea was altogether discarded. _No, even now, I would be unable to bring myself to kill anyone…_

"Lolly!" Melony shouted desperately.

"Shut-up!" The brunette immediately snapped before reaching out and harshly grasping Inoue's hair.

Orihime exhaled sharply as she was jerked onto her feet and squeezed her eyes shut as she tried to reclaim clarity.

"Aizen-sama said it himself," Lolly proclaimed cruelly. "You no longer serve any purpose." She then lowered her hand and allowed it to rest gently against Inoue's face. "Remember?"

Orihime opened her eyes and gazed into those of the smirking Arrancar. She felt the cold hand trace the contours of her cheek before the fingers came to a stop beneath her chin. She could not deny the overwhelming fear that accompanied such a sinister action and felt another uneasy breath escape her lips.

"That means I can do whatever I want to you," Lolly explained. "And Aizen-sama won't even care." She continued to caress Inoue's face, her smile growing all the more imposing. She then suddenly stopped and inched just slightly closer to the trembling human. "You're finished. I'm gonna take back every last thing…that you stole from me!"

Inoue's heart suddenly stilled within its relentless pounding before Lolly grasped the right sleeve of her dress and tore it away, the fabric coming apart easily to reveal the unblemished skin beneath.

Ulquiorra's eyes instantly averted to the trio behind him, his hand trembling ever so slightly at the sight that greeted him. His sword was held firmly against Ichigo's, who, upon hearing the tear, instantly shouted the woman's name anxiously.

The Shinigami pushed himself away from the Espada and summoned his Lunar Fang. Ulquiorra effortlessly blocked the onslaught, finding it rather strange for the boy to suddenly use the useless technique again until his eyes widened at the realization that it had been a diversion.

Ichigo swiftly swept past him, gaze focused on the girl he intended to aid. However, before he cleared the intersecting point between he and his opponent, his eyes widened in the brief moment before an emerald glow surrounded him.

Beneath his sword arm, Ulquiorra brought his other hand and summoned his signature cero, pausing a moment before releasing it, the wall in its path crumbling in response.

"Shit!" Ichigo exclaimed as he weakly stood from the debris and rushed forward determinedly. Ulquiorra swept his sword and met that of the Shinigami, deterring his advance.

"I told you to move it!" Ichigo shouted.

"If you'd rather fight another opponent," Ulquiorra calmly replied. "You'd best kill me quickly."

"Screw you! Get lost!" the Shinigami responded impatiently.

Inoue gasped as her other sleeve was unceremoniously ripped from her dress, her eyes wide and her body falling forward in response to the quick gesture. Her hands and knees met the cold marble and she gazed helplessly into her frightened reflection before closing her eyes and attempting to calm her erratic breaths. She turned her head to see Lolly approaching and then shifted her body to face the Arrancar, her hand clutched over her heart.

"Stop it!" Ichigo ordered frantically.

The sound of gleeful laughter reached Ulquiorra's ears as well as the harsh exhales released by Orihime, his mind cringing in response to her obvious distress. _Woman…why do you not fight back? Is your own life so worthless to you? Would you really rather be killed than bestow harm upon another person?_

He did not turn, but felt one foot perform a subtle shift in her direction. The brunette Arrancar was about to strike, he knew, and whether or not it would be lethal was something he had an aversion to discover. It could not be helped…he would have to once again defy his better judgment.

However, as soon as he had stepped back from his confused opponent, the reiatsu of a newcomer filled the atmosphere, alerting both his mind and effectively halting Lolly's advance on Inoue.

"What?" the brunette questioned as the floor and walls began to shake. Inoue's posture relaxed only slightly before her eyes were drawn to the direction of the approaching spiritual energy.

"What's that?" Ichigo shouted, looking in every direction.

Ulquiorra's simply glanced to his right, in the direction of both the disturbance and the kneeling woman. She was gazing into the darkened expanse of the shadowed hall, her eyes seeming to waver in recognition of who resided beneath. Then, as if she could sense his attention, her eyes lifted and again met his, their violet hues recognizing his shifted stance and accurately deciphering his posture as one that had been about to stop Lolly from harming her.

He regarded her as coldly as his mentality allowed, though found that his eyes were irreversibly softening within hers. _I have to take this fight elsewhere…I'll never be able to end this while she's gazing at me like that._

Much like Ichigo, the ground suddenly caved to reveal Yammy as he tore through the marble. He lifted his head and grinned widely upon spotting his superior. "Ulquiorra! I came to pitch in."

The fourth Espada shifted his gaze from Orihime to the behemoth that had announced himself. "When did I ask for your help, Yammy?"

Ichigo seemed to suddenly recall where he had seen the brute before as his eyes widened in recognition.

Yammy chuckled as he regarded Ulquiorra with a gleam of intense mirth. "Don't be such a wet blanket. That Shinigami kid looks like he's toughened up a little. Lemme have a turn."

Ulquiorra regarded him sharply, his mind perceiving the reason for Yammy's sudden emergence. "Oh? So you've fully recovered, then?"

_That only makes the situation worse_, Ulquiorra realized as his eyes briefly flickered to the woman behind the tenth rank. _Yammy is reckless enough without his full power._

"Regardless," Ulquiorra responded smoothly, attention returning to the other Espada. "I'm afraid your job lies elsewhere." He then turned his head and closed his eyes, "You can either go back to sleep or finish off the captain-class Shinigami below."

"What?" Yammy questioned aggressively. "Don't try to gyp me, Ulquiorra!"

Ulquiorra opened his eyes as he again turned his head to regard the imposing figure behind him. "Your greatest weakness is how selfish you become in_ that_ state, Yammy."

"Aw, come on," Yammy complained, taking a step forward.

"Y-Yammy!" Melony stuttered, effectively claiming the giant's attention.

Ulquiorra's eyes widened slightly as he regarded the blonde Arrancar. _Senseless, h_e thought in dismay as he looked to Inoue. _Damn…this is getting out of hand._

"We're not involved here. We'll leave." Melony proclaimed anxiously before turning to the brunette. "Come on, Lolly!"

"The hell I will!" Lolly clenched a fist, "I didn't come all this way for nothing!"

"Enough!" You're in over your head, Lolly!" Melony exclaimed, not noticing Yammy's surmounting aggravation. However, she had no time to react before she received a powerful blow to the side of her face, which sent her coursing into the wall beside them.

"Melony!" Lolly shouted in astonishment.

Inoue looked to the collision but found no sign of the Arrancar, her heart clenching tightly as she realized that she had been instantaneously killed.

"Ulquiorra!" Yammy straightened and turned toward his comrade. "What're these insects doing up here?"

Ulquiorra stood with his sword lowered and his posture somewhat rigid. There was no use in trying to reason with the beast, all he could do was try and provoke disinterest without enticing further anger. He could not oppose both Yammy and Ichigo within his current, unreleased state. "Ask them yourself," he reluctantly answered.

"Oh, good call," Yammy grunted. He then turned and knelt in front of Lolly. "Well? What're you little worms wriggling around here for? You're in the way."

Lolly did not respond, but simply continued to grit her teeth and glare up at him. His smile widened and he reached out to grasp her tightly within his enormous palm. "Speak up!" He lifted her fragile body into the air, "I can't hear you!" He then forcibly threw her onto the floor, her body bouncing against the marble.

Inoue motionlessly knelt beside him, her eyes widening in response to the scene. He was close, uncomfortably close; she hardly dared to breathe within such proximity.

"Aw, done already?" Yammy leered down at the Arrancar's pain ridden body. "I barely even had to move."

Inoue slowly brought a hand to her chest as her eyes widened impossibly further.

"Yo, Ulquiorra!" he hollered before standing. "These whores are pathetic! Lemme take a crack at the Shinigami!"

_Disinterest, _Ulquiorra thought with a semblance of unopposed relief. _So long as he is not provoked any further…_

Lolly weakly raised here body then, "damn you, Yammy…"

Inoue slowly stood as she regarded the brunette anxiously, her heart swelling in pity.

"You must be loving this," Lolly stated when she turned her head to face the crimson haired princess. She then grimaced and withdrew her attention. "We came here to kill you and now we're getting slaughtered."

Orihime's brows furrowed in response as the feelings of empathy continued to course relentlessly throughout her veins. She could never be like Ulquiorra or even Ichigo so long as she found herself unable to resent even those who despised her. Seeing anyone in pain was so overbearing that she truly wondered at the sanity behind it.

"Go ahead, laugh," Lolly permitted breathlessly. However, her eyes widened and she abruptly turned to face Orihime as a familiar, golden light surrounded her. The warmth began to eradicate and deny all the damageYammy had inflicted. "Hey, stop it! What're you doing?" Her lips quivered, "You're insane!"

Ulquiorra paused and glanced back at the pair as he heard the soft hum of Inoue's healing barrier. _What is she doing?_ He then recognized the sympathetic set of her features and purposeful glimmer of her eyes. Why was he even questioning it? This was who she was. This was who he had always known her to be. She was…entirely without the will to inflict or witness the pain of another person.

"I almost killed you, and you're still…" Lolly rattled in bewilderment. "You're still trying to help me?"

Orihime simply gazed into the girl's eyes unremittingly, her resolve clearly defined. The last of the Arrancar's injuries were healed a moment later, the barrier fading and the glow subsiding.

Lolly simply knelt beside her, unsure and imminently irritated. "What are you…?"

However, before Inoue could respond, they both turned and gasped as Yammy raised a fist and sent it coursing toward the human girl. Ulquiorra tensed immediately, his eyes having missed the sudden movement. _Damn…_he thought, gripping his sword. _She can't take a hit like that._

However, Orihime was quick to react and summoned her tri-link shield in time to diffuse the blow, though the golden expanse shattered instantly, sending her falling backwards.

"Inoue!" Ichigo shouted, his eyes almost deranged in desperation.

Ulquiorra stepped in front of him and clashed his sword against Zangetsu, again halting the movements of the young Shinigami. "I told you: after you kill me."

_He is in no state to protect that woman…he's only going to make things worse._

"What's your problem?" Yammy addressed Ichigo, gaze focused on the girls before him. "Either die or quit it with the piddly shit! Besides, it looks like these broads will be good for a little more entertainment."

Inoue gasped and firmly held her hand over the pounding of her chest, as if willing her heart to remain beneath her skin. How was she going to escape from this? Her powers were nothing in comparison to an Espada.

_Think about what I've told you, _Ulquiorra silently coached her. _Don't hold back against someone like him. You are stronger than you realize. _

"Don't!" Ichigo shouted, interrupting his thoughts. Ulquiorra felt his body tense apprehensively as he awaited the outcome. Neither he nor Ichigo could oppose Yammy at the moment. He was not going to let the Shinigami get himself slain by that brute.

Yammy reached for Inoue with a wide grin, his pulse quickening in preparation for the impending kill. Inoue's heart throbbed as her blood chilled. What could she do? Her eyes were frozen upon the hand that neared and her voice was silenced by the fear that held her. His shadow swallowed her form as she motionlessly watched in helpless paralysis. _Ulquiorra-kun…I-_

However, the attack never came. She lifted her head, mouth parted in amazement as her mind attempted to reason with the recognition that greeted her. However…within that, another part of her questioned what she had just been about to proclaim, albeit silently. _I…what? _

Lolly stood between she and Yammy. Her dagger was drawn and blood oozed from a cut inflicted upon the Espada's hardened skin. Ulquiorra's gaze shifted behind him as Ichigo's simultaneously widened. The fourth Espada found himself wondering how the woman always seemed to charm those around her, even one so heartless and prone to jealousy as Lolly. _What am I saying? That's nothing compared to the feat of reducing someone like me to the level of emotions and human-like responses. _

Yammy's grin faltered as he observed the wound on his hand. "Where the hell did you hide a knife in that outfit, ya filthy whore?"

Lolly looked to Inoue, who remained crouched behind her. "Please…"

Orihime lowered her eyes with an uncomfortable exhale and Lolly immediately averted her gaze in response. "Now I owe you one. You just made me angrier!"

Inoue looked up at her, her thoughts in disarray and her emotions scattered. She wanted to thank her but remembered how Ulquiorra would always react negatively to words of gratitude. Hollow did not seek to be praised, nor granted acknowledgement for their presumably weak actions.

"You bitch…Why're you still in my way?" Yammy continued.

"No," Lolly clarified, "why are you messing with my prey?"

Inoue almost smiled sadly at that. It reminded her of Grimmjow. _Where is he anyway? _She absently felt compelled to wonder. In the end, even he had accepted Ichigo's generosity.

Lolly suddenly thrust her dagger forward, reclaiming Orihime's attention before announcing her release. "Poison, Escolopendra!"

Her body morphed into one with four long, centipede-like arms, with scales covering her legs and torso. 'I…I didn't…come here to get killed by a pig like you, Yammy!" She thrust an arm forward, missing Yammy but destroying a nearby pillar, the purple poison dissolving the remaining sustenance of the formation.

"I'll kill you, Ulquiorra, and everyone! My poison will turn all of you into rotted out lumps!"

Inoue's heart jumped, as her glance inadvertently swept to the side to meet that of the on looking Espada. As indebted as she was to the brunette, she would not allow for her to harm Ulquiorra.

Lolly attempted several strikes on Yammy, which he readily deflected. She then wrapped all four arms around his lower body, the poison seeping through and beginning to corrode his hardened skin. She smiled in satisfaction before suddenly gasping when he reached out a fist and slammed her face-first into the floor.

Inoue exhaled sharply in response to the scene, her heart lurching in anxiety. Yammy paused before lifting the battered girl within his palm, bringing her close so that he could observe her bloodied form.

Orihime quickly stood and rushed toward the Espada, "Wait-"

"Stop!" Lolly ordered, to which Inoue halted. Turning to face her, the brunette glared. "God, I hate you. How could I not?"

Inoue's eyes wavered then lowered as she felt tears beginning to sting and threaten emergence.

Lolly smirked upon seeing her downcast form before suddenly gasping as Yammy squeezed her tighter. "That's for acting like a big shot, you whore!" He continued to crush her within his palm, the bones creaking in response to his strength.

"Shit…I…" Lolly spat. "I don't want…a scumbag like you…to..."

"Eh?" Yammy shouted, "say what?"

"I said," Lolly smiled in defeat. _"Scumbag_."

Yammy grunted before thrusting her into the wall, her screams drowned out by the sound of crashing stone. He laughed wholeheartedly as he held her out through the opening and over the sand below. "I can't hear you!"

Orihime watched in horror as Lolly's head unnaturally bent, eyes closed and body limp.

"Aw, she died." Yammy proclaimed in disappointment. "Lame." He then brusquely thrust her aside, as if she were nothing more than a pathetic insect, allowing her form to fall unhindered to the ground below.

Orihime's hand clenched over her chest as she leaned toward him, "Stop!"

"Huh? You say something?" Yammy questioned the woman.

_Not good…_Ulquiorra pondered as he struggled to maintain his composure. _ Orihime, get away from him._

"Heh," Yammy smirked before lifting his gaze. "Yo, Ulquiorra! Can I kill this other woman, too?"

Inoue exhaled painfully as she tensed, not from what awaited her, but in anticipation of the fourth Espada's reply.

"No!" Ichigo immediately answered.

Ulquiorra pushed the Shinigami back, his mind trying to determine the best course of action to prevent Yammy from harming the woman.

Yammy reached for her and she conjured her shield, which he again broke effortlessly. She screamed and he continued to grin as he neared her shaken form.

"Inoue!" Ichigo shouted again.

Yammy chuckled as he continued to entice her frightened expression, his shadow consuming her figure. _Ulquiorra-kun…_she thought again, _there are so many things I still want to tell you. Most of all, however, I just ask that you let my friends leave this place alive, even if I am to die here._

Ulquiorra grasped his sword and readied himself to intercept whatever attack Yammy was preparing, his mind resenting his decision but his core entirely dreading the outcome of allowing her to be killed. He braced himself, certain that he would end up having to take the full force of the onslaught. _It's time…_he thought, the confusion of his soul delighting the darkness within, while the light that was the woman's presence continued to overpower that very darkness.

However, before he could even turn, he glimpsed a form appear within the window, bow aimed for Yammy and a blue reiatsu streaming in through the sunlight. Orihime's heart stilled as she saw the familiar face of her Quincy friend.

_Ishida-kun…_she silently beckoned, a guilty relief warming her chest.

Ishida indistinctly smiled upon seeing that she was safe before returning his attention to her attacker and firing an arrow that firmly planted itself into Yammy's shoulder. The massive hollow fell with a thud to the ground as Ishida landed smoothly beside him.

"Ishida?" Ichigo exclaimed.

"Get your act together," Ishida chastised his friend. "Focus on your own opponent, Kurosaki."

Ulquiorra nearly smirked in response to the Quincy's statement. It seemed not everyone in the invading party was without intellect.

Ishida smiled as he shifted his eyes to the Shinigami across the room, "I can handle this one myself."

Ichigo was then pushed back before he again advanced on his opponent, who merely jumped and landed several feet behind him. The Shinigami turned and narrowed his eyes before looking back at Ishida. Ulquiorra was silent as he analyzed the newcomer, feeling incredibly calmed at his commendable timing. He appeared capable of holding his own, while also conveying that he had sharp deduction and strategic skills. He would serve as a good distraction for Yammy.

"Leave this lug to me," Ishida commanded.

"Ishida-kun!" Inoue's voice suddenly broke through the tension.

The Quincy turned his head and regarded her absently a moment as her mouth parted into what appeared to be the beginnings of a smile. For some unnamable reason, seeing him brought an immense swell of comfort. She felt her heart's anxiety subsiding and her tension loosening. It was strange, for he was undoubtedly the weakest of the four men, but the relief he offered was of an entirely different nature.

With Ishida Uryuu, there was absolutely no confusion. He was a dear friend, one she fondly regarded without any reservation. She had been captured within a heart piercing triangle of affection, romantic consideration and blackened jealousy all laced with her own personal guilt. She felt a betrayer to both Ichigo and Ulquiorra, who were now fighting to the death. Ishida's presence brought with it the serenity she had been without for as long as she could remember.

"Inoue-san…" Ishida replied kindly before offering a consoling smile.

A brief silence ensued before Ichigo abruptly broke it. "But how'd you…?"

"What's this?" the Quincy called to the Shinigami, "you want a full debrief during a fight?"

Ulquiorra's eyes momentarily rested on Orihime as she continued to gaze upon her white-clad comrade. There was something different in the way she regarded him, something that instilled satisfaction rather than jealousy within his own feelings. Her face looked less troubled than he ever remembered seeing it, which struck him as almost painful. How long had he previously sought to inspire that same expression?

"You're so careless," Ishida reprimanded Ichigo as he turned to face him. "Where should I start? Kurotsuchi Mayuri healed me. It took me longer to get here because he healed Abarai first. Abarai, Sado-kun, and Kuchiki-san are still out fighting. But I-"

_Out fighting? _Inoue thought, an almost debilitating happiness seeping through her heart. _Thank goodness, they're all still alive…_Her eyes suddenly widened as she saw Yammy rise, "Ishida-kun!"

"Who the hell are you?" Yammy shouted, glowering down at the Quincy. "What hole'd you crawl out of?"

Ishida turned as the giant fist came crashing down, the air filling with dust and wreckage. He jumped and landed on the other side of the now gaping crater in the floor. "It didn't pierce through you even with all the power I put behind it? You're tougher than I anticipated."

"You little shit…" Yammy replied through gritted teeth.

"Follow me," Ishida ordered as he turned to face the Espada. "They'll just get in the way if we fight here."

"Ishida," Ichigo turned his head, "you sure you can handle this?"

"I told you," The Quincy replied assuredly, "leave him to me." He then jumped into the hole, disappearing within the darkness.

Inoue eyed him nervously but found a source of comfort in the fact that Yammy was the lowest rank among the Espada. It was possible that Ishida could defeat him; she just had to place her trust in his abilities and intelligence.

"Sounds fun," Yammy grinned before looking to his superior. "Ulquiorra, he's mine."

Ulquiorra regarded him wordlessly a moment, extremely content to have him out of the way. "You can have him."

Yammy laughed before disappearing into the cavern as well, excitement noticeable upon his features.

When he had gone, Ulquiorra looked to Ichigo curiously. "Aren't you worried about that man?"

The Shinigami turned to the Espada, sword raised. "Of course not!" He narrowed his gaze and adjusted his stance, "let's do this!"

Ulquiorra examined his words before raising Murcielago in response. _Yes, Kurosaki Ichigo, let's._

Orihime watched them warily, wishing with all her heart that everything was simply some horrific nightmare, an apparition of her over-encumbered imagination. However, she had to wonder, if it did all happen to be a dream, to which reality she would rather wake.

Would she rather open her eyes and find herself safe and sound within the comfort of her own bed? With the walls of her beloved apartment encircling her with the prospect of seeing all of her friends at school on the forefront of her mind and Aizen Sousuke, Las Noches and the Espada rendered entirely nonexistent?

Or...

Her heart jumped slightly. Would she prefer to wake and find Ulquiorra beside her? Holding her close and inspiring all manner of warmth and regard, his gentle eyes piercing through her own, promising of dedication and everlasting security. Her allegiance to the Espada was still so astoundingly powerful that she began to wonder if, should she ever have to option of doing it all over again, she would choose to embark upon the exact same path, the path that had led her to meet and come to know Aizen's fourth Espada, Ulquiorra Cifer.

With sudden and astonishing clarity, she realized with a dulled sadness that she would choose any conclusion that permitted him a place in her life, despite his cruel disregard for her feelings. _If only…_she thought desperately, _if only I could forgive him._


	33. Forlorn Silhouette

Chapter XXXIII

Forlorn Silhouette

"_When you come back you will not be you. And I may not be I." _

― _E.M. Forster_

* * *

><p>The only sound reverberating through the hall was the struggle between two Zanpakuto as Ichigo and Ulquiorra intensely regarded the other. The Espada could not determine why the boy still continued to withhold his full abilities. The Hollow mask he possessed was the only remote chance he had at surviving.<p>

Then, as his eyes subtly lifted, he spotted the woman standing behind Ichigo and all at once knew why he was suppressing his strength. Darkness seeped in and accompanied the realization that the Shinigami was being wary of her involvement. The man before him was trying to protect her and he….what was he trying to do? What would he do with the woman after his victory? Killing Kurosaki Ichigo was inevitable and, subsequently, her complete and entire detachment to the fragile connection that still bound them.

Still, he could not suppress his revulsion at the level of devotion portrayed between the pair. Though it was true that he did not want her harmed as a result of their battle…the complete abhorrence remained. Abhorrence at the unabashed level of trust the two placed in one another.

"Hmm," he mused softly before suddenly thrusting his opponent aside and kicking him hard in the stomach.

The Shinigami grunted as he was sent sprawling onto his back on the floor, his eyes closed tight as he grimaced at the impact.

"Is it her fault?" Ulquiorra voiced his thoughts aloud, withholding his gaze from the woman before him. He slowly began to walk forward, "Is her presence preventing you from putting on your mask?"

Orihime clutched her hands tightly over her chest as she anxiously watched the motions of the Espada. She desperately tried to ease the pounding of her heart but, in the wake of his overpowering presence, she found that even the ability to breathe was denied her.

He was still…the most beautiful person she had ever seen. He was powerful, captivating and entirely commanding. _Ulquiorra-kun…_she allowed his name to entangle her within the depths of enticement. At such a time…why was she reacting in such a way? Sweet memories filled her mind; memories of his caress, his warmth, his gentleness. _I still see that better person within you, Ulquiorra-kun…Even now, I still see it desperately waiting to emerge._

Ulquiorra stopped as he reached where Ichigo still laid, his calculating eyes analyzing the next appropriate course of action. He began to understand that the only way for the fight to truly come to a close, would be to either take the duel elsewhere, or carry the woman to a different location. It would only take an instant to lock her somewhere out of the way.

His impulses began to respond with surprising intensity at the prospect of carrying her in his arms, despite his completely apathetic intentions. She would resent him for imprisoning her but….there wasn't any other option at present.

"In that case…" he began, before suddenly lifting his eyes and allowing them to reside upon Orihime. However, what he found upon her face was unexpected. Fear and worry were now entirely absent and in its wake…fascination resided.

_What? _He marveled upon distinguishing her radiant features, inducing his thoughts to reside solely in the silent caress of her unconcealed regard. _Woman…why are you looking at me like that?_

Where had he seen that look before? _Oh yes…_he recalled, the precious memory filling him completely. She had worn that same expression in the prelude to the moment in which she had first brought her lips to his.

He clenched his sword tightly, as if that were the sole reminder of his true purpose. All he had to do now was cross the short space between them and carry her to another location, whilst vigilantly resisting the urge to simply escape with her.

Orihime saw a resolve building within the gaze of the Espada, though the nature of which eluded her entirely. What fervently grasped her attention, however, was the presence of the gentleness she had been desperately searching for. She could see it now, faint, but present all the same.

"Ulqui-" She began in a whisper too soft for perception before Ichigo suddenly rose and stood between them.

"No," the Shinigami obstinately replied to the Espada. "It's not her fault."

Ulquiorra's eyes returned to Ichigo as his soul felt both relieved and resentful at the interference and inescapable reminder of his mission. He found it almost amusing that Ichigo seemed to believe it had been his intent to harm Orihime. However, the dilemma remained and he found himself desiring to provoke the Shinigami further. "Then bring out your mask."

"Whatever!" Ichigo replied before sprinting forward.

Ulquiorra was quick to deflect the attack but the Shinigami's erratic reiatsu caused his meticulous Getsuga to lash out behind him and toward Inoue.

The woman reacted swiftly and summoned her shield, the effect of Ulquiorra's eyes slowly ebbing as the fight proceeded. She exhaled sharply at the impact upon her golden defense as it completely guarded her against the attack.

_Even without his mask_, Ulquiorra mused disdainfully, _it's dangerous for her to be around him like this._

As he and Ichigo stood facing one another, an explosion suddenly resounded from below and his eyes then lifted as the Quincy reemerged from the cavern in the floor. Yammy's reiatsu had not been vanquished but, rather, severely suppressed. The man must have either realized that the situation was hopeless or….his gaze shifted to Orihime. _He also understands that she can't handle an all-out fight between me and the Shinigami. _

"Ishida? Are you okay?" Ichigo asked, seemingly surprised that his friend had emerged unscathed.

Ulquiorra watched as an intense expression of relief overcame Orihime's features, her eyes aglow and set on her Quincy friend as a small, almost imperceptible smile found its way across her face. He found himself slightly hesitant in apprehension of reaping that light from her façade, _I absolutely cannot have her witness Kurosaki Ichigo's death._

"Do I look like a ghost to you?" Ishida questioned his friend.

"No, that's not what I meant. What was that?"

"The explosion just now came from a mine I got from Kurotsuchi." The Quincy patiently explained, "They explode when an Arrancar sets off its reiatsu sensor. I set it up in the ceiling below where we were. Everything went according to plan; Yammy never realized that I was leading him straight towards the mine. Any other questions?"

_He's clever, _Ulquiorra surmised before briefly regarding Inoue. _Perhaps I can entrust her to him for the time being._

"I never asked any questions to begin with," Ichigo replied with a mirthful smirk before turning to the Espada. "You just started rambling. You can be such a pain." He fell silent a moment as his smile faded. "…take care of Inoue."

Ulquiorra felt his demeanor ease in response to Ichigo's request. She would be safe with the Quincy, of that he was certain.

"If my reiatsu breaks through her shield," the Shinigami continued. "Protect her with your body."

"I don't need you to tell me that," Ishida assured his comrade.

Ulquiorra regarded the trio as indifferently as he could manage, though still felt the prominent aversion in response to their camaraderie. He again glanced to the woman, who still had her eyes locked on the Quincy. He saw that her composure conveyed a sudden anxiety in response to the words she was hearing, the relief slowly becoming but a specter within a sea of angst.

Then, she looked to him. Her features softened and she appraised him almost hopefully. What did she want from him? Did she expect him to grant Ichigo mercy? Despite the foolishness of her wish, and his complete aversion to grant it, he found his hardened gaze warming within hers.

_She's still so…enchanting. _He thought sullenly before returning his attention to the man in front of him, who suddenly smirked in response.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, Ulquiorra," Ichigo began before slowly lifting his hand, "here it comes. This is the Hollowfication you wanted to see so badly."

The Espada then watched the transformation of the man from Shinigami to something lingering on the threshold of hollow with repressed interest. His eyes then widened as Ichigo swiftly attacked, the movement more than ten times faster than his previous advances. He effectively blocked the onslaught but the enforced power of Getsuga succeeded in placing a fissure on his blade.

_It can't be helped…._Ulquiorra decided in dismay as his eyes widened further. _I won't be able to defeat him as I am now._

Ichigo attempted another thrust and the Espada hastily jumped out of the way, suspending in the air a moment to contemplate what his next move should be. _I need to get out of Las Noches._

His masked opponent then executed the Lunar Fang and Ulquiorra swiftly back tracked and allowed it to carry him through the outside opening it had forcibly created. Sunlight surrounded him as he hovered over the sands far below the tower, his eyes searching the area above for any sign of the Shinigami. Upon sighting him, he lifted his hand and readied his signature cero. The familiar emerald shot forth and consumed the approaching form of his adversary.

As Ulquiorra watched the explosion of light, he contemplated on the last image he had seen of the woman above. Her hopes and delusions would soon be shattered and agony would rip through her core. However, it could not be helped. He was under orders; orders that demanded fulfillment.

Still, he allowed himself to lament the prospect. If circumstances were in his absolute control, he would opt to deny the eminent pain awaiting her. Despite everything, he found himself wary to inflict such a response from her innocent and untainted sentiments. _Inoue Orihime…when next we meet, you will entirely despise me. _It would corrupt and tarnish her and that, above all else, was what he detested most.

His eyes widened slightly then as his cero faded and he observed the Shinigami standing unscathed before him, Zanpakuto lifted and amber eyes cutting in their confidence. He had easily and completely deflected his attack.

Ulquiorra wordlessly continued to analyze his options, as the realization of what he was going to have to do settled into his contemplations and instilled a semblance of dread. His eyes narrowed in dismal acceptance before he straightened and swiftly swept past the Shinigami, accelerating as he continued to ascend higher and higher, gaze set on the expanse encasing him within the boundaries of the fortress.

_Don't follow me, woman. Stay right where you are until this unfortunate ordeal is over. _

"Wait!" Ichigo called before proceeding to pursue him. _Shit, where's he going?_

Ulquiorra increased his speed as the artificial sky rapidly neared before he lifted Murciélago and created an opening to the roof above. He tore through and rose further until he at last came to rest upon one of the pillars above the silver desert. He watched as the Shinigami entered, confusion evident.

"Is this…the top of Las Noches' roof?" he wondered aloud.

"That's right," Ulquiorra responded smoothly, stimulating his opponent's attention. He gazed down at the boy passively, the crescent moon illuminating his forlorn silhouette.

* * *

><p>Orihime watched as the pair disappeared through the opening in the wall, her body aching with restrained unease. She saw the emerald glow of Ulquiorra's cero, her heart pounding in response before it was altogether diminished. With his mask, Ichigo was now undeniably the stronger of the two and Inoue could not help but feel empathetic with Ulquiorra as she pondered his thoughts on the situation. She had only a moment to reflect on this however, before she saw them both rush past the opening, ascending at an outstandingly accelerated rate.<p>

_Where are they going? _She wondered as her confusion was accompanied by a strong and sudden ominous feeling. A loud shattering sound then resounded from above and she furrowed her brows as she contemplated the cause. It was equivalent to the sound of thunder, severing the sky and unfailingly instilling a foreboding unease.

_Severing the sky…_she thought then before her eyes suddenly widened.

_"You see," Nnoitra began as he tightened his hold on Ulquiorra, "unlike me, Mr. Rank four here is not allowed to transform within Las Noches. Aizen has forbidden all the higher ranks to do so."_

She suddenly rushed toward the opening, Ishida following behind. Her gaze lifted to the sky and her mouth parted as she saw the darkness beyond the fracture. _Ulquiorra-kun…is going to release._

She knew what such an action entailed, all denial meaningless in the face of what was blatantly conveyed to her. Ulquiorra fully intended to defeat Ichigo. He was going to release his Zanpakuto, which, for the Espada, served to increase their power tenfold. Ichigo was going to be no match for him, of that she was entirely certain. Even Aizen had forbidden him to conduct such an act within his proximity.

"Kurosaki-kun…" she whispered uneasily.

Beneath the menacing and overpowering despair at the prospect of the fourth Espada's action, Orihime found within herself a strange desire to behold that part of Ulquiorra. She hated herself for pondering such a thing but it undeniably lingered all the same. However, above all of that, she began to feel a desperate need to stop what was about to ensue. She needed to speak with Ulquiorra, it was now absolutely vital that she do. _But…how am I going to do that?_

* * *

><p>"There are two things we are prohibited from doing within Las Noches," Ulquiorra calmly began to explain to Ichigo, "the first is the cero reserved for Espada, the Gran Rey Cero. The other is Espada No. 4 or higher releasing their swords." He allowed his words to suspend in the air between them, watching as acknowledgment began to seep into the Shinigami.<p>

"Both are so powerful," he continued, "that they could destroy Las Noches." He hesitated one final moment before slowly lifting his sword, the flawless steel glinting within the moonlight and casting a piercing shadow over his adversary.

"Enclose, Murciélago."

An immediate black and emerald reiatsu engulfed the atmosphere, enshrouding everything surrounding within wings of despair and oppression. It literally rained from the darkened sky in streaks of piercing and unrelenting desolation. Ichigo gazed up at the scene with an irrepressible dread as his eyes widened. The rain cleared to reveal the imposing form of Ulquiorra's release, a bat-like presence, encompassing a completely sinister air. Great black wings suspended on either side, enclosing all in proximity within their inescapable embrace.

"Don't get shaken," Ulquiorra warned as he saw his opponent ready his sword. "Don't drop your guard. Stay fully alert. Don't get distracted for a single moment." He watched as Ichigo continued to brace himself, his thoughts somehow turning to the woman far below. He pondered her in darkness, the sheer despondency of his soul overwhelming the light she always presented.

He hardened his resolve, summoned his emerald lance, and fell instantly fell upon his opponent, decisively piercing him. A detonation resulted, crumbling the surrounding structures and thunderously resounding through the air.

Ichigo fell to his knees as the crimson of his blood fell upon the ground, pain searing through his veins.

"You released your Getsuga Tenshou on instinct," Ulquiorra observed before allowing his eyes to slither to his opponent. "Wise move. If you hadn't done that, your head would be rolling at my feet."

Ichigo continued to relentlessly pant before lifting his head to meet the distant gaze of the Espada. Ulquiorra turned and silently regarded the man, somewhat begrudging the fact that it had not ended with that one strike. Murciélago inspired darkness, and the longer he remained within his release, the stronger the lingering hold of that darkness. It was the embodiment of his emptiness, and the misery therein.

* * *

><p>Orihime saw the sky tremble in response to the release that had been executed, her own instincts cringing in reply to such a massive portrayal of power. "Murciélago," she breathed in recognition.<p>

_Smiling, Inoue tilted her head slightly. "Your Zanpakuto. What's its name?"_

_Ulquiorra looked to his sword silently before lifting it and removing his hand from her face to run it along the blade. "Murciélago."_

_Inoue looked to the sword and her smile grew slightly. "Murciélago," she whispered, prompting Ulquiorra to lift his eyes and look to her as the name escaped her lips._

She closed her eyes briefly as she recalled the memory that now seemed such a distant occurrence. He had looked to her so affectionately, malevolence entirely nonexistent and resentment an impossible and unimaginable divider. Opening them, she looked to the sky, her anxiety slowly giving way to the serenity the past instilled; of the past she and Ulquiorra had shared. It almost seemed a dream, a dream that had morphed into a living nightmare. It had been sweet, warm and untainted. _He _had been absent of all things vindictive or hurtful.

_Time…can change so many things._

* * *

><p>Half of Ichigo's mask shattered as he stood panting before his opponent, the realization that he was outmatched beginning to seep through his defenses. <em>He's too quick. Is this for real? I was in my Hollow form, but I couldn't do a damn thing.<em>

Ulquiorra continued to silently regard the Shinigami, observing the struggle of his body as it tried to reclaim control. All he felt was indifference, the hatred and resentment suppressed. Murciélago was emptiness. True emptiness did not feel. In fact emptiness, in its most diluted form, was meant to represent the complete absence of emotions.

"Your Hollowfication powers are increasing," Ulquiorra voiced to Ichigo then, lance held leisurely in his hand. "You are able to maintain the mask for longer spans of time." He tilted his head slightly, gaze intensifying. "But it broke so easily."

Ichigo's eyes briefly widened as Ulquiorra advanced, weapon raised to strike. "What a pity," the Espada concluded before throwing the emerald ray of light. Ichigo, however, upon carefully monitoring the movements of his opponent, swiftly dodged the onslaught before gasping as an immediate follow-through attack was executed.

The second javelin grazed his shoulder, prompting him to race back toward one of the pillars behind. Ichigo grimaced before pulling out his sword and thrusting it into the ground to halt his momentum. He then renewed his mask and carefully watched Ulquiorra as the Espada hastily advanced on him.

* * *

><p>Ishida stepped forward and gazed up at the expanse above, mouth slightly agape at the sheer display of destruction. "There's a hole…in the sky?" His eyes widened, "so it really was an artificial sky." He then glanced to Inoue as she ventured closer, demeanor almost entirely untroubled. He felt wholly confused at seeing such a tranquil expression upon her features. <em>She's not worried?<em> _Does she understand what's going on? _The wind swept past and billowed through his clothing and danced within the strands of her scarlet hair, the Quincy's thoughts somewhat awestruck by her sudden display of ease.

Orihime blinked slowly, the calm set of her lips and the relaxed gaze of her eyes focusing on nothing but the reality that Ulquiorra resided just beyond the piercing in the sky. She held the infliction of his reiatsu closely to her heart, not wanting to lose the feel of its overpowering strength for even a moment.

Ishida continued to watch the woman beside him silently, perceiving in confusion the almost adoring gleam within her eyes. It was not the gaze he recognized when she would look to Ichigo…it was something entirely and both unnervingly and fascinatingly different. Her overall façade instilled the impression of devotion and longing, a longing that was neither gentle nor erratic. _She looks…enamored._

"Inoue-san?" he finally voiced.

Her trance slowly faded as she leisurely turned her head to look over at him, a soft and surprised exhale escaping her lips.

He analyzed her more closely and was able to detect the faint trace of anxiety within her eyes, his mouth parting slightly in response. _Thank goodness she's okay. _His lips then closed as she continued to portray the same underlying yearning. _No, it's too soon to say for sure. _

After watching her for another moment in silence, he gently offered her some words of consolation. "It'll be okay." He smiled confidently, while inspecting her features carefully. "Kurosaki will win."

For a moment, she failed to contain her initial impulse. Anxiety. Her eyes almost appeared to lament his statement before she managed to force a smile. _As I thought…_he acknowledged sullenly. _This isn't about Kurosaki. _His eyes lifted briefly to the sky. _I can't say she's safe until you defeat him, Kurosaki._

He did not know what exactly had happened between Inoue and the Espada but he was almost certain that it wasn't anything amiable. It concerned him greatly and he found himself clinging to reliance on his Shinigami friend to sever their enemy's hold before the situation became irreparably damaged.

* * *

><p>"Kurosaki Ichigo…," Ulquiorra calmly began as their weapons clashed, his calculating eyes set within that of his opponent. "Hit me with your Heaven Shocking Lunar Fang." The Shinigami's eyes widened and he continued. "Try to hit me with it. Your ultimate form has allowed you to fight on par with the Espada. Hit me with your Lunar Fang, if it truly is your ultimate technique. I shall show you the difference in our strength."<p>

_Now…I will make you realize how vast the void that separates us truly is. I will destroy any semblance of confidence you still retain. Despair, that is the true end of all those bound to humanity. _

"Hit you with Lunar Fang?" Ichigo voiced in disbelief, not comprehending in the slightest why his opponent would ask him to do such a thing. He then slashed at the Espada, who swiftly took to the sky, eyes continuously set on the man beneath him.

"I don't need you to tell me to use my own attacks!" Ichigo continued. He then obediently summoned the crimson reiatsu of Getsuga, shouting the name proudly before unleashing it on the Espada.

Ulquiorra calmly watched its approach before beckoning his emerald spiritual pressure, shielding himself and entirely deflecting the attack. "As I thought." He vanquished the entirety of Getsuga, its existence completely and irrevocably annihilated. "You're still stuck on the human level."

"Not a scratch?" Ichigo observed downheartedly.

Ulquiorra regarded him detachedly, "your Black Lunar Fang is similar to our cero."

"Cero?" Ichigo replied vehemently. "Don't associate me with that shit!"

"Of course," Ulquiorra responded ominously. "You haven't seen it yet." He leisurely raised his hand and pointed his index finger toward the Shinigami. "Let me show it to you before you die."

A black aura of energy began to formulate before his hand, outlined in jade and instilling an atmosphere of immense oppression. "This is the black cero Espada use in their released forms. Cero Oscuras." Another instant commenced before he released the onslaught, the darkness hastily approaching his opponent, who stood paralyzed with the trajectory of its advance.

It exploded in a marvelous array of shadowed light, the hues of green cruelly caressing all in its vicinity within a hold of absolute and uncontested destruction. Ichigo tried to defend against it but, in the wake of its relentless advance, it quickly embraced his entire form, his mask shattering and his body bearing the entirety of the awaiting assault.

* * *

><p>Far below the battle, Ulquiorra's cero overwhelming inflicted its pressure over both Inoue and Ishida as they doubled over beneath its domineering weight. Orihime grasped onto the rubble to keep herself from completely falling the ground, her very bones quivering in reply to the display of power.<p>

"Inoue-san!" Ishida yelled over the turbulence surrounding them.

She looked to him, her heart pounding heavily and a sudden glimmer of desperation encompassing her gaze. He eyed her warily in response before looking to the ceiling above. "The hell? What's going on up there?"

_It's…Ulquiorra. _Orihime silently replied as she lifted one hand to ease the trembling of her right arm. Her brows furrowed as her breaths continued in erratic and uneven beats. Her mouth remained parted as she tried to regain control of her senses amidst that which was his reiatsu. _He's so very strong. I have never, ever, felt anything that's even come close to its equivalence. _Then, as the chaos lifted, her body was finally released from the vice of its captivity. However, her eyes did not waver from the sky as she realized that she had entirely underestimated her Espada. He and Ichigo were worlds apart in terms of power. _If I don't somehow stop this…Kurosaki-kun will definitely die; there is no way he can win. _Her brows then set determinedly. _I need to speak with Ulquiorra. _

"Ishida-kun!" she began, looking to her friend as his eyes averted towards her. He seemed to recognize the resolution of her features as his gaze narrowed in response. Silence fell between them before Inoue continued as gently as she could. "Can you use your powers to carry me up to the top of the roof?"

He did not respond for several moments following her request, the suspicions of his mind prodding and instilling immense and irrepressible alarm. _I should have figured Inoue-san would ask that. _However, as he continued to gaze into the anxious and desolate eyes of his friend, he found the empathetic side of him winning out against his better judgment. He glanced to the sky, in antagonizing resignation. _I can't turn her down. _He returned his scrutiny to her and allowed his mouth to part upon seeing that the anguish upon her demeanor was becoming more prominent.

"Please!" she pleaded. _I have to go to him. _

_I have a feeling I will come to regret this decision before too long, _Ishida morosely speculated before slowly nodding in affirmation.

* * *

><p>The dust cleared and Ichigo's battered body limply fell through the air, his face contorted in pain and his grip weakening on the Zanpakuto within his hand. He grimaced before his hollowed eyes suddenly widened as Ulquiorra performed a sonido and appeared beside him, gaze cruel and distant. He slowly lifted a great black wing before using it to thrust the Shinigami aside.<p>

Ichigo crashed through a tower as Ulquiorra simply watched, his mind falling progressively further within the hold of his release. "Now do you understand?" he softly asked his opponent as he saw him struggling to stand within the confines of the room he had landed in. Something faint pounded at the fortress his mind had inwardly conjured, something that caused his gaze to waver ever so slightly at the sight of his agonized adversary. However, that tiny semblance was soon dispelled, leaving his mind to continue within its malice.

"Your form and attacks may resemble an Arrancar," he stated, "but our powers are worlds apart." He slowly began to approach the Shinigami, his movements purposefully unhurried. "It is reasonable for a human or Shinigami to copy a Hollow once they've grown powerful." his mind then weakly conjured the image of the woman below, thought the effect of her enthralling form was denied its prior potency. "But a human could never stand as an equal to a Hollow."

His shadow engulfed the kneeling form of Kurosaki Ichigo, his wings outstretched and preventing even the faintest hope of escape. The Shinigami continuously panted before he gripped his sword within trembling hands and forced himself to stand. Ulquiorra watched his determination with an apathetic façade but found that a familiar confliction was slowly beginning to fester from deep within. Again, he found some small part of himself admiring the resilience and dedication of the man before him, while simultaneously resenting it.

He watched Ichigo's eyes shift from their hollowfied gold and black to the soft and natural russet of his human form, brows set and determined. _Those eyes, _he absently noted. _Those eyes are just like hers; they portray the same relentless and inextinguishable strength. _His fist clenched, _I __**will**__ find a way to break his resolve. I __**hate**__ those eyes!_

"Heaven shocking-" Ichigo muttered feebly.

"I said it's futile!" Ulquiorra raised his voice resentfully; anger returning at once and eradicating his previous disinterest. He lifted his lance and slashed Ichigo across the chest, destroying the tower and promoting his adversary's body to resume its free-fall through the air.

He immediately pursued him, flying alongside his wilting form. He looked to him with the deepest loathing, before faltering upon spotting that his eyes were closed and observing that his face appeared unreceptive. For a moment, he considered the possibility that he had succumbed to unconsciousness before his gaze fell to where his hand was obstinately tightening over Zangetsu.

He again slashed at the Shinigami with his jaded spear, sending him coursing backwards and into another obstruction of stone, the air agitated with debris and sand. He turned and performed sonido, appearing alongside Ichigo and once again executing an attack which sent him propelling toward another awaiting tower.

Yes, he had wanted to end the ordeal quickly before but, now that the resentment was settling in, he found himself unwilling to part with it. He reveled within the searing heat his tormented blood instilled, and the enticing brew of bitterness within his chest. It completely dispelled the vulnerability the woman incessantly afflicted. In unabashed delight, he watched the effects of her memory fading into some unknown recess of his thoughts. He desired to destroy the Shinigami in every way possible.

When Ichigo landed atop the pillar, Ulquiorra was quick to follow as he reached down and grasped him about the neck, glaring upon his demeanor in absolute abhorrence. However, as the moment pressed on and his euphoria began to dissipate, the Espada lowered his gaze to Ichigo's Zanpakuto. "Why do you not drop your sword?" When no response came, he continued. "Do you still believe you can defeat me despite the clear difference in our strength?"

Ichigo finally managed to answer, his voice raspy and agonized. "Who cares…who's stronger?" the resolve, though feeble, was still undeniably present. "Did you think I'd give up…because you're stronger than me?"

Ulquiorra's eyes suddenly and involuntarily widened as these words reached him, his mind adulterously recalling the woman's own thoughts concerning the heart and at how it was connected to her friends, lending her strength despite the bleakness of present circumstances. He quickly regained composure, however and allowed his gaze to narrow as the Shinigami continued.

"I knew you were strong from the start. Showing off your strength now won't change a damn thing!" Ichigo looked to him in complete self-assurance before shakily grasping at the hilt of his sword. "I'll…beat…you, Ul-Ulquiorra…"

Something suddenly gave way within Ulquiorra's core as his eyes again widened and his mouth parted in astonished and wordless regard. Though the man's words could be construed as foolhardy, he knew there was much more to it than that. Ichigo fervently cared for the woman, so much so that he was willing to die in order to protect her. Such a selfless portrayal was almost too much for him to handle, much less speculate on. What did one call such devotion? The very ideal was so entirely absent from the realm of Hollow that perceiving it was near impossible, even for him.

He lowered his gaze before tossing Ichigo onto the ground, though not at all violently. The man did not deserve to suffer any longer. He was innocent, and he was also broken. Any further punishment would simply reduce his own nature to that of a mindless beast. He still found himself possessing an aversion to torture a fallen enemy. _I am going to end this now, Kurosaki Ichigo. You will not need to feel pain any longer. I will offer you one final display of despair, an embodiment of emptiness in all its entirety. I want you to see that part of me, that part of me unperceived by anyone else within my company. _

"Nonsense," he voiced to the prostrated form of his opponent. "Kurosaki Ichigo, those are the words of a man ignorant of true despair. "

Ichigo slowly lifted himself onto his knees before facing Ulquiorra, his eyes still somehow retaining their confidence. He gasped and his gaze widened, however, as Ulquiorra began to display a new rise within his power, emerald surrounding and encasing him within an eerie glow of iridescence.

"Allow me to educate you," Ulquiorra replied, his appearance progressively morphing into that of a more primitive nature. "Behold true despair."

Ichigo could not even speak as he found himself feebly trying to grasp at the reality of what he was seeing.

* * *

><p>Upon Ishida's disc-like collection of spirit particles, Inoue grasped at his arm as she looked to the receding sands below. "This is amazing!" Inoue felt the familiar sensation of height instilled before she recalled how elated she had felt when Ulquiorra had jumped off the balcony with her, his arms secure and protecting. Turning her head, she lifted it and looked to the sky.<p>

"I mastered it while passing through Garganta," Ishida explained. "I figured out how to use it in Hueco Mundo on my way here. I could have used it in battle if I'd only realized it sooner."

Orihime looked to her friend, deciding that she had better thank him for the trouble of granting her request. She knew he must have endured a great deal of hardship to find her. "Ishida-kun-"

However, before she could utter the words of gratitude, a new wave of pressure fell upon them, similar to the previous onslaught yet infinitely more powerful. They grimaced and cringed beneath the weight enforced over them.

"Wh-What the-?" Ishida began, eyes wide. "Something's coming down!"

An aura of darkness surrounded them in jade as it rapidly descended and encompassed them, its unrivaled power piercing into their very core and instilling an overwhelming feeling of emptiness. Orihime's eyes wavered and widened within its embrace, her mind trying to grasp at the truth behind the nature of the sensation. It was as if everything the Espada felt was being openly displayed; it encased everything that he was. Despair, regret, resentment. Had he been enduring such overpowering feelings all this time?

"What is this?" Ishida exclaimed in disbelief, "is it reiatsu? It's so different. It's unlike any reiatsu I've felt before. It's not just a matter of magnitude and strength. It's a completely different sensation! It's so thick and heavy that I thought it was something else entirely for a second! It feels like there's an ocean above the sky."

"This is-" Inoue began, her heart pounding a thousand worries throughout her body. _Ulquiorra-kun…_Her previous observation of his strength was nothing compared to what was now being presented. _He's a hundred times stronger than he was previously! Stronger than anyone I have ever encountered. Is it even possible for someone to possess such uncontained power? _She was experiencing such a heightened sense of the Espada's presence that she felt as if she were residing within his very soul.

"Crap…let's hurry!" Ishida proclaimed, now extremely concerned for the safety of his friend.

They continued their ascent into the forsaken oblivion awaiting them, Inoue's insides constricting in preparation of facing Ulquiorra in his released form. Fear desperately fought to control her mind but her heart continuously defended against it. She would not be afraid of Ulquiorra; could _never_ allow herself to feel that way around him.

* * *

><p>"Resurreccion," Ulquiorra smoothly announced, the aura receding to reveal his new form. "Segunda Etapa." The wind violently surrounded and pounded against him, the dust settling at his feet and seeming to cower beneath the absolute density of his company. His arms and lower half of his body had taken on a beast-like appearance, horns having formed above his head and a tail lashing out around him. His eyes had changed to a sinister gold, with green surrounding where white was no longer visible. His strands of black hair had grown past his shoulders and the signature mask was entirely absent from his demeanor.<p>

"I am the only Espada that has developed a second release," he went on to explain as he noticed in satisfaction the desolation upon the Shinigami's features. "Even Aizen-sama has not seen me in this form."

However, in the next instant, Ichigo again lifted his sword, the determination firm even within the attendance of someone who far outweighed him in power. Ulquiorra's head lowered slightly in response, his eyes steadfastly watching as the Shinigami struggled to stand. Ichigo lifted his head and met the gaze of the Espada, the fire within neither extinguished nor even in danger of wavering.

"Despite this, you still have the will to fight?" Ulquiorra asked as he watched Zangetsu trembling within the weakened grasp of his wielder, the ebony of the blade reflecting nothing. _He is not confused. He still feels the fear. _He lifted his head, the hold of his observation beginning to cave beneath the imposing weight of Murciélago and the darkness therein. _But he clearly hasn't resigned himself to death, either. Does he still believe he can win? _

The Espada took a step forward, the claws upon his dragon-like foot piercing the sand beneath. "Very well. I will turn your body to dust if that's what it takes…" his previous resolve to end things quickly was now almost entirely forgotten in the face of his building determination to convince the Shinigami before him of the meaning behind true hopelessness. He then lowered himself in preparation for an offensive attack, withholding his gaze for a moment before lifting his head and casting the depths of his own despair into the man before him. "…to make you understand."

Deep within the reservoir of his suppressed regard for the woman and the engraved attachment continuing to exist there, he was shouting words of warning to himself. A desperate and almost silent plea that predicted the impending strife that would assuredly befall his actions; of the agony that would tear asunder both he and the beauty that was Orihime Inoue's entire soul. However, within the hold of Murciélago, the absolute personification of despair, emptiness and darkness, those words fell away unheeded and faded as would ash in the face of an insatiable and sweltering flame of far gone fury.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **Well, we are nearing the end of this story. Only 2 more chapters left. I have really enjoyed my experience with this fic and thank all of my readers & reviewers from the bottom of my heart for your continued insight and support.


	34. Sanctifying Eternity

**A/N: **I knew this chapter was going to be long but it turned out way longer than I thought. Enjoy it though :) I've been looking forward to writing this for a long time. The final scene in this chapter was my inspiration for the entire fic.

* * *

><p>Chapter XXXIV<p>

Sanctifying Eternity

"_When love beckons to you follow him, though his ways are hard and steep. And when his wings enfold you yield to him, though the sword hidden among his pinions may wound you."_

_-Khalil Gibran._

* * *

><p>Ulquiorra rushed forward, almost smirking in amusement as he watched the Shinigami prepare his sword. Within an instant, he was upon him, the look of astonishment on his adversary's façade a welcome occurrence. He placed a clawed hand upon his head, withholding his gaze as he slowly passed before suddenly thrusting him forward.<p>

Ichigo tumbled across the pillar and into another; his body helplessly limp in response to the overpowering force of the released Espada. Ulquiorra slowly walked forward and stopped to observe the destruction imposed in his wake. It was outstanding and Murciélago reveled within the darkness that continued to fester and overcome. His golden eyes watched in silent enticement, as sand and debris crumbled and bowed within his presence. However those eyes widened upon seeing that the Shinigami was still alive and kneeling, his sword thrust into the ground to steady himself.

_Relentless…_Ulquiorra both chastised and admired the boy. He deliberated a moment before diving and flying toward his opponent, skillfully evading the attempted slash and smoothly landing several feet behind the Shinigami.

Turning, his mouth parted as he momentarily considered the orange-haired teen. Ichigo shifted to face the Espada before quickly lifting his sword when he advanced on him. Grasping the blade, Ulquiorra held the bewildered gaze of the Shinigami as he pushed him into the air. He then swiftly lifted his tail and thrust it into the boy's chest.

Ichigo was quick to right himself as he landed upon a falling boulder, pausing before hastily jumping backward and away from his adversary. Ulquiorra immediately pursued him as he watched the Shinigami bring out his mask. _That technique will no longer afford you any security. It will only delay the inevitable. _"You're a fool, Kurosaki Ichigo." He voiced aloud, before punching him and casting him further across the dark abyss of the blackened sky. "You hope to fight and defeat an opponent whose strength is so great, it terrifies you."

He slowly lifted his hand and used his strength to shove the Zanpakuto into Ichigo's mask, shattering it entirely. The impact sent him coursing through two pillars directly behind, completely crushing them as well. Ulquiorra simply stood and watched the dust clear, his mind continuously falling into the depths of Murciélago's emptiness. The words the woman had spoken to him in the fifth tower seeped through his defenses, inspiring a new despair and resignation.

"If you are doing this because you have a heart," he began slowly, a very faint trace of sorrow lacing his words. "Then hearts do nothing but injure humans." He slowly raised his hand, lifting it before his eyes. The same traitorous hand that had, upon countless occasions, enjoyed the feel of the woman's hair across its fingertips. The hand that had nearly broken his resolve only a short time ago, touching her skin upon which it delighted. He resolutely clenched it into a fist, "You will die because of your heart."

_With this same hand, I will…end the life of the man she loved._

Ichigo slightly lifted his sword, clenching it as tightly as he could still manage. "I'm not fighting because I _want _to win." He forced his bruised body to move as he suspended his weapon toward the Espada. "I'm fighting because I _have_ to win!"

Ulquiorra did not respond as the surrounding wind carried his tresses within its impartial embrace, his eyes detached and haunting. He could not readily determine an appropriate reply as all he could suddenly focus on were the words Inoue had once spoken. _"There are also those who protect the weaker creations, those who strive for more than instinct…"_

Standing before him, he realized in dismay, was such a man; a man who strove for more than battle, who longed for more than the shedding of blood. He bowed his head slightly as he continued to reside within such contemplations. Ichigo lowered his head as well, before a small smirk spread across his face.

Ulquiorra watched the Shinigami's strange reaction in silence, unable to completely comprehend the depths of his character. He suddenly recognized how intricate human beings were. A delicate intricacy that was far greater than he could have ever imagined. Murciélago protested his considerations and relentlessly continued to beg for the suffering of his opponent. However, he now found himself somewhere between anger and tranquility, neither winning out over the other; a loathsome, grayish void between light and dark.

"Nonsense," he finally contested, before advancing on his adversary. _What you say…goes against everything I've ever known to be true. It makes everything she had said true._

…..

Orihime and Ishida finally cleared the opening above the sky, their eyes simultaneously widening at the darkness of the realm that now encased them. The orb beneath their feet was dispelled, casting them both forward at a swift rate. Inoue furrowed her brows as she descended, focusing on what she now had to do. She winced as her feet impacted the hardened sand, before using the force of the fall to flip herself aright, the Quincy colliding ungracefully into the dust behind her. She did not pause, however, for time was against her. Running, she followed the call of Ulquiorra's presence.

"I can't feel Kurosaki's reiatsu!" Ishida called out to her retreating figure. _Where is he?_

Orihime did not even grant herself a single moment to think or pause to consider the desolation that surrounded her. _Ulquiorra-kun…please…wait._ She ran forward without truly realizing where her feet were taking her, or what awaited her sight at the forsaken destination ahead. She could not yet see over the top of the pillar but, she knew that he was there. She could _feel _that he was there. _Am I too late? I can't determine where Kurosaki-kun is at all! _No, she could not abandon hope. She had to hold firm to the belief that Ulquiorra was a better person than that. _I just need to reach him, and tell him that I am sorry for hurting him, and that as long as he allows my friends to safely leave, that I will stay with him in this place forever. _

She then suddenly stopped, her breath catching in her throat and her heart seeming to completely still as all the blood in her body was chilled. A gust of wind greeted her, stirring the sand beneath her feet and seeming to outwardly display the turmoil that had instantaneously inflicted her mind. There, standing upon the tower, illuminated by the haunting edge of the moon above, was the most terrifying form she had ever seen, its sleek tail wrapped around the neck of her friend.

For a moment, she did not recognize him, as she tried to grasp at reality and resurface from the petrifying depths that had consumed her. Her eyes widened and wavered upon the sight, her mouth parted and her breaths resuming in an irregular chorus that equaled that of her throbbing chest. However, she could not remove her gaze, could not even begin to compose herself.

….

Ulquiorra felt her presence the moment she had landed upon the roof, his body tensing as he heard the intoxicating and familiar sound of her approach. Tightening his hold on the Shinigami, he closed his eyes. _Woman…why have you come? _Fate, it seemed, was determined to have her witness his end to the life of Kurosaki Ichigo. He could not determine what would be inflicted over him upon turning his head to face her, for even Murciélago seemed to tremble and cower within her proximity. Of one thing he was entirely certain, however. He would not allow for the ordeal to continue. He would end the Shinigami's life. He was entirely prepared to do so. The woman had arrived much too late to prevent that.

Then, she suddenly stopped, and he knew that she had seen him. He could feel her eyes gazing upon him, his release completely hers to behold, unconcealed and unveiled. Would she finally feel afraid? Would the reality of what he truly was, finally impose the most appropriate of responses from her?

He slowly turned his head, his golden eyes regarding her horrified expression in both pleasure and regret. "So you came, woman," he softly spoke, his words falling into silence as they reached her.

….

As he turned to face her, she was finally released from the paralysis that plagued her, leaving only alarm and astonished recognition in its wake. _It…really is Ulquiorra-kun…_His eyes fell and settled upon her, the change of color so drastic in comparison to the gaze she was used to seeing. All trace of gentleness gone, without even a specter of its presence remaining.

_She met his gaze, "Do you have a release? Zanpakuto always seem to have one."_

"_Yes, all the Espada do."_

_Nodding, she looked to the sword once more. "I would like to see it. Will you show me sometime?"_

_Her hand suspended within his grasp, Ulquiorra eyed her intently. "Why? Why do you want to see that?"_

_Inoue's mouth parted before she summoned the subtlest of smiles. "I-" she blushed furiously, "I want to know you, Ulquiorra-kun. I want to know everything about you. Even if it might frighten me, that is an important part of who you are and so…" she struggled to hold his gaze, "and so I know that I will be able to accept it because I want to appreciate all of you."_

She continued to gaze up at him, too awestruck to turn away, her mouth parted and her hands clutched tightly over her pounding chest.

"_Orihime," his smooth voice called to her, embraced her. She hesitated a moment before slowly lifting her eyes to his and holding them there as best she could._

_He lowered his head and leaned it against hers, his eyes holding her still. "Yes," he whispered delicately._

"_Yes?" she asked, breathless._

"_I will show you sometime."_

She was seeing it. Seeing that which he had always been wary to display. He was revealing the very darkest portion of his soul, where all of his emptiness, regret and sadness resided. He and Murciélago were one and the same. There could not be one without the other. She _did_ feel fear. She felt such a great fear that it threatened to devour her. However, she also felt acceptance, as she had known she would. Acceptance of the fear and of the side to the Espada that was being revealed to her. She had always felt its presence, its constant lurking within the depths of Ulquiorra's eyes. It was now merely personified, the abstract taking form. He could conquer it, she knew he could; where once Murciélago had ruled, he had slowly grown stronger.

"Kurosaki-kun…" she mumbled in concern. Was Ulquiorra really going to kill him? Would he really do that in front of her?

Ulquiorra watched her lips as they announced the name of the man within his grasp. His hold tightened, conceding to grant Murciélago's darkness its lust for closure. "Perfect timing," he began, forcibly compelling his mouth to form the words that were determined to remain unheard before turning away, unable to look upon her. "Watch carefully." He slowly lifted his adulterous hand, the fingers upon which seemed to recoil in dread of fulfilling his commands.

Orihime exhaled sharply as her eyes widened further. She recognized that cue of his, painfully recognized his signature and threatening motion to end another's life. _Please, Ulquiorra-kun…please don't! _She wanted to tell him everything, but her tongue refused to move. The air within her lungs would not respond to her desperate prompts as her thoughts were all but silenced by the nightmare she was witnessing. _He won't do it…_she told herself despite the apparent display of his actions, _he can't do this…Ulquiorra-kun isn't like that._

"The man to whom you entrusted all your hope is about to die," Ulquiorra smoothly explained to her, his resolve finalized and his inner struggle at last falling silent and bowing to his intentions. However, within that, there resided a deep and searing remorse. A guilt that he cruelly ignored, allowing himself to fall into the awaiting arms of Murciélago. He would feel comforted afterwards; he was determined to believe that. It would all finally be over. His anger would be satiated as well as his resentment. All signs of weakness would be dismissed and his true and destined form would overshadow any and all lingering debilitations. He reminded himself that the woman below had brought this upon herself, he was merely obeying the orders he could not disregard.

He readied the black cero, the emerald outline cutting and forsaking as it tried and failed to overcome the void that controlled it. Ulquiorra did not look to the woman again, merely regarded the Shinigami during the last moment of his life. His demeanor conveyed that he was neither defying nor resigning himself to death, a feat he would have believed impossible. However, he no longer cared to solve the riddle of humanity, for he was now forever barred from it.

Inoue at last found her voice as it broke free from the vice of its uncertainty, her mouth parting slowly as she felt her blood resume its flow through her veins. She would not let Ichigo die. She would not simply stand and witness his demise. He was her friend and she would remove herself from the attachment of the Espada if that's what it took to save him. Would Ulquiorra listen to her though? Would Murciélago allow him to? She faltered but another moment before shouting at the top of her lungs with all the imploration she could summon. _Ulquiorra…._ "Don't!"

Then, following her words, the atmosphere stilled in submissive silence before the cero was fired, it's jaded light fading almost instantaneously after the puncture imposed through the Shinigami's chest. Her voice continued to resound through Ulquiorra's mind, and it would have completely broken him had Murciélago not been allowed to take over the fulfillment of the act against her.

Orihime's eyes widened and all her thoughts and feelings fell away into incomprehensible nothingness, as if they could not even begin to comprehend what she had just seen. _No…_was all she could inwardly whisper, _no….he's…not dead…Ulquiorra didn't…_She could not remover her gaze from the hole within Ichigo's chest, its presence both defiling and horrific. Then…an emotion finally seeped through, filling her and eradicating any delusions she still held. Betrayal. Betrayal of the cruelest nature. A sad and twisted act of detachment, so severe that it painfully constricted her heart. Ulquiorra _had_ done it. He had killed one of the most important people in her life. A life she had once shared with him. A life she used to tell him of. A life she had once wanted for him.

He had openly, and entirely denounced all of her desires for him. He had completely condemned his place in her heart, choosing instead to pursue the will of Aizen, and the evil associated with such a path. Within her soul, within the golden expanse of overgrown barley, she stood alone. There was no pale and gentle person beside her. He was gone. Everything she had known him to be was gone. Everything they had once been…was now irreversibly lost.

She did not know which hurt more. The loss of her friend…or the loss of the Espada's place at her side. There was no redemption she could offer him now. Forgiveness had become an impossible illusion.

Ulquiorra stood and gazed into the lifeless eyes of the orange-haired teen, Murciélago's hold relenting and falling back into its place within the recesses of his soul, leaving him vulnerable to the severity of reality. Orihime had pleaded with him in the end, her voice filled with absolute hope and desperation. She had pleaded with him and he had entirely disregarded it. He had extinguished the flame she carried; had betrayed a devotion she had never been entitled to offer him. His suppressed guilt at once began to ascend and encompass his entire core, hurting in ways he had never before been familiar. What had he brought upon himself? He did not feel even a semblance of comfort in regard to his actions. Murciélago had abandoned him, had left him exposed in absence of the darkness he had been hiding within.

He slowly retracted his tail and released the Shinigami, watching as his motionless body began to fall to the sand below. He eyed him with such a feeling of lamentation that he began to realize the desolation of his ability to ever reconcile the sin he had just committed. The boy had been innocent, undeserving of death. Undeserving of such a cruel fate. All he had been guilty of was that which he himself should have done from the beginning. He should have protected Orihime; he should have unfailingly remained at her side. He should have placed her before even his own desires. At the very least…he should have never hurt her.

"N-No!" Orihime cried out upon seeing the descent of her comrade's body, her thoughts at last understanding that he was no longer living. That he had been killed. Sobs threatened to arise but she repressed them, her heart lurching in such a way that it nearly rendered her breathless. _I have to help him…I have to…do something. _

Ulquiorra closed his eyes as her outcry reached him, the anguish in her voice piercing through his harbored soul in dreadful and unrelenting agony.

Orihime did not know if she could resurrect the dead, but…she knew she had to try. Desperately compelling her legs to move, she suddenly rushed forward and released her shield in time to catch Ichigo and halt his fall. It carried him safely a feet away as Inoue continued to run toward him, her demeanor fixated between astonishment and torment.

Ulquiorra opened his eyes and watched her advance, his breath catching and his hand suddenly clenching in self-loathing. _I've done this to her…I've brought upon her the most excruciating torment. However, I can't let her try and revive Ichigo; she will fail and her hopes will again be shattered. She can reject many things but I doubt she can reject death itself. And…even if she can, the state she's in will not allow her to. I have to…stop her._ _I have to at least grant her this one final act of mercy. _He momentarily faltered as he stepped to the edge of the tower, his eyes following her movements as his insides constricted in anticipation of standing before her. He felt ashamed and ridden with culpability. However…he was determined to defy his hesitations and say what she most needed to hear. Then, removing all thought and hesitance, he breathed in deeply before walking across threshold that separated them.

He performed sonido and appeared before her, his clenched hand easing as he observed the complete distress upon her features. _Looking upon him in death…will completely destroy her. _His eyes suddenly felt unworthy as they gazed into hers, her violet stare entirely terrified and lingering upon the very edge of sanity. _I've done this to her…I've broken her._

Orihime stopped and gasped loudly as the Espada materialized in front of her, his sudden presence failing to impact her at all. She did not feel anything. Within his eyes she could see nothing but emptiness and the ghost-like reflection of herself, as if she were merely a phantom where vitality had once reigned. _Why…why is he doing this? _First he had killed Ichigo and now he was preventing her from aiding him.

"It's useless," he stated gently, his words falling from his lips in misery. His brows subtly furrowed sympathetically as she breathed in sharply. "No matter how badly you wish to help, your powers cannot save him from this."

Orihime found she could not hold his gaze any longer as she lowered her head and felt tearless sobs escape their confinement. "Kurosaki-kun," she muttered weakly, her voice breaking. "Kurosaki-kun…!"

Ulquiorra recognized that she still had not fully accepted what happened, and the observation scorched his insides ruthlessly. So _she cared for that Shinigami…what fault is there in that? He is far more deserving than I ever was….I have only been deluding myself this entire time. I have no place at her side. _"Perhaps I wasn't clear," he began carefully. He absolutely had to make her understand, had to save her the pain of trying and ultimately failing to revive her friend. He knew her. He knew she would blame herself for it. "It's usele-"

He suddenly detected the presence of the Quincy behind him, his eyes narrowing slightly. Would fate not even offer him this? Had it forsaken him so entirely? He slowly lifted a wing and deflected the arrow, dispelling it into nothingness before reluctantly turning his head to gaze up at the man above.

Orihime immediately moved past him, determined to reach Ichigo. Even if Ulquiorra had been right… she still had to try. She would forever regret her decision if she didn't do at least that.

Ishida released a heavy onslaught of arrows, showering Ulquiorra as the latter again raised a wing to shield himself from them. _Damn, _he thought as he caught sight of Orihime approaching Ichigo. _She isn't going to be able to handle it…_

"Licht Regen!" Ishida shouted from above before firing a thunderous assault, his attack raining down on Ulquiorra as the sand was stirred, concealing his form from the Quincy. While within, Ulquiorra closed his eyes and wondered what he should do. He had no intent to harm the man, finding himself both unwilling and unable to lay a hand on anyone else Orihime cared for. _I could try speaking with him…he seems rational. _

The dust began to clear, first revealing Ulquiorra's silhouette and then completely dispelling as he took a step forward. Ishida raised his bow cautiously, apparently unsure on what to expect from the Espada.

"I'm surprised," Ulquiorra began as delicately as he could. _Why is he not trying to stop her? _ "I was under the impression that you were the most level-headed of Kurosaki Ichigo's friends." _Couldn't he see the danger in allowing her to attempt such a feat?_

"I'm keeping my cool," Ishida replied calmly before narrowing his eyes slightly. "That's why I'll be able to handle you." _I can't let him near Inoue, no matter what. _

Ulquiorra gazed upon him silently, somewhat disappointed that he was not willing to listen. However, he could in no way blame him. He was he enemy. He was one of Aizen's Espada. He and killed one of his comrades. _I cannot fight him…I suppose I am fated to lose this battle then…_

"Kurosaki-kun!" Orihime shouted as she neared Ichigo, immediately summoning her healing barrier and surrounding him within its warm light. As she reached him, however, she gasped loudly as her eyes widened in response to his lifeless face. It was entirely unbearable, staring into the eyes that could no longer see her. It was so painful that it nearly tore her heart in two. Her mind began to descend into an unknown abyss of misery, denial, confusion and desolation. All blood was drained from her face and her eyes completely lost their previous vitality and glow of hope. She had never seen death so close. Even Sora had not passed within her presence.

She could not seem to comprehend what she was seeing. _Kurosaki-kun…is dead? But, he's always been alive. He's always been there…How can he just be gone? _She could no longer discern reality as she instead felt suspended within a listless and phantom-like realm of anguish. The sobs threatened to escape as she felt her eyes continue to waver as they regarded his motionless body.

Ishida continued to move around Ulquiorra, firing several arrows and watching as they each got deflected. No matter the speed nor strength of his attacks, the Espada was more powerful and remained unharmed. _Figures, _he begrudgingly observed. _His wings are blocking all of my long-ranged attacks. But if I get any closer…._He looked upon the impassive face of the man before him and subsequently wondered why he made no motion to counterattack. _What is he waiting for? _He then placed his fingers to prepare another arrow. _Either way, I have to buy enough time for Inoue-san to heal Kurosaki's injuries. Let's try it again! Perhaps fate will be on my side today._

He fired a pair of arrows before jumping into the air and releasing several more, surrounding Ulquiorra, who merely observed in silence the attempts of the man above. The Espada knew he had to do something to end the confrontation soon. He had to get to the woman. He suddenly heard the Quincy approach from behind and quickly turned his head to see an arrow being sent his way. _So….he tried to use the sand as a diversion to cloak a change in direction…clever, but…_He lifted a wing and sent it flying back toward the Quincy, who quickly maneuvered out of the way. _I can't waste any more time, I have to at least get him out of the way for a moment. _He performed sonido and appeared behind his unsuspecting opponent before thrusting him aside and sending him colliding into the tower beside.

_He's just as overpowering as I suspected, _Ishida mused as he sat against a pile of rubble, trying to catch his breath and ascertain a suitable tactic. He clenched his teeth and looked to his hand, _I've gotta keep calm and attack from a distance. _He tightened his palm into a fist. _He has to have a blind spot. _

"Finished already?" Ulquiorra stated as he entered through the opening and allowed his shadow to seep across the floor. The moon outlined his form and fell ominously upon the Quincy who was standing to face him. "Your speed is impressive, but you're still just a human. You're at your limit." _Don't try and fight me any longer, nothing will come of it._

"I'm not done yet," Ishida replied determinedly before lifting his hand and beckoning his bow. He pulled out his Seele Schneider and raised his arm to set it. However, before he could place the weapon, Ulquiorra descended upon him and grasped his wrist firmly.

_It seems, _the Espada recognized regrettably. _That I will have to harm him after all…he won't stop until I do. _"It's this arm?" he asked before watching as anxiety crossed the face of the Quincy. _Don't worry; I'm not going to kill you. I just need to speak with that woman without interference. _He then proceeded to fracture a single bone within his arm, choosing to only disable him enough to provide a few undisturbed moments. It would heal quickly, especially with the aid of the woman below, and the pain would be minimal as the location was optimally placed where there were fewer responsive nerves. _It will serve its purpose in preventing him from firing anymore arrows._

Orihime collapsed onto her knees beside Ichigo, watching in dismay and surmounting despair that her healing powers were having no effect. His face remained unresponsive and the hole in his chest continued to deny her rejection. A single tear escaped down her cheek, clinging to her skin a moment before falling into the sand beside her. _What should I do? _She exhaled sharply, her breaths trembling. _What should I do…? _More tears cascaded down her face as her eyes remained widened and despondent. _I always felt like somehow Kurosaki-kun would be okay. I believed Kurosaki-kun could win. And because I had so much faith in him, in Ulquiorra's ability to show mercy, I turned a blind eye. But…_she pictured the moment in which Ulquiorra had struck him down, the memory pulsating painfully through her mind and inspiring her heart to restrict tighter. She looked to the hole within Ichigo's chest and her breaths hitched as an unresponsive numb began to take hold.

Her mind bent beneath her anguish, her entire soul descending into the furthest depths of the ocean her agonized heart had created. She slowly lifted both hands to her face, feeling almost as if she were somehow outside herself, witnessing reality from behind a pane of tinted glass. She could not revive him. Ichigo would never come back….how was this happening? It couldn't be really happening. _What should I do? _ Her entire body shook and trembled as she slowly began to lose control over her responses. Tears fell but she could not feel them. All she could feel was the unrelenting torture throughout her entire body, mingling within her very blood. She started to rock forward as the silent sobs began to emerge and consume her. _What should I do? What should I do?_

Ishida suddenly swept passed her, using the sand to slow his retreat. His gaze remained focused on the Espada ahead, determined to keep his distance.

"Ishida-kun?" Inoue exclaimed weakly. Was Ulquiorra going to kill him? She wasn't going to be able to handle losing him too…

"Don't worry about me." Ishida replied breathlessly, bent and supporting his injured arm upon his knee. "I already took anesthetics and hemostatics. He watched the Espada's slow approach and began to try and determine a suitable offense. "Inoue-san, take care of Kurosaki." _I might die here, but…please at least save him and get home safely. _

Orihime lifted both hands to her chest anxiously. _No…_she could feel herself continuing to lose control. _Please…don't…_She watched in horror as he stood and rushed toward his opponent, hand gripping one of his light rods. "Ishida-kun!" she shouted desperately, turning to face him and imploring with all her heart that he heed her plea.

Ulquiorra briefly allowed his eyes to descend upon Orihime, observing her face and the listlessness of her façade. He was too late, despair had already taken her. Within her eyes he saw not a trace of the light that had always driven her, the light that had made her glow and remain strong. In taking the life of her friend, he had completely broken her spirit. He saw her expression contorted in worry, pain and fear for the Quincy's life. She was expecting him to kill the man, and that truth was enough to pull him even further within the guilt that ceaselessly continued to plague him. Returning his gaze to the approaching Quincy, he marveled at the fact that even having his wrist broken had not been enough to deter him. He lashed out at him with his tail and watched as he swiftly leapt away.

_Stop this…_Ulquiorra wordlessly beseeched the man. _Don't make her watch this. _He then performed a sonido and instantly swept him aside with his wing. Ishida fell into the sand, grunting as he made the collision. Orihime exhaled sharply, her mouth falling open in silent grief, desiring with all her heart to wake and find herself safe and secure within her bed at home. She wanted to wake and find that her friends were all still alright; she wanted to walk beside them in the halls of the school, wanted to speak of simple things without having to worry about what the next day would bring.

Ulquiorra approached and gazed down at the Quincy without expression. _Can I really place all the blame on him? Am I really so concerned with my own safety to continue and hurt her friend like this? Why am I still trying to reach her? _

Then, he inwardly cringed as Murciélago was summoned at the prospect of shedding blood and at the threat of harm-imposing resignation. The darkness fed on the guilt and resurfaced, overshadowing his mind. _What is there to lose now? What more is there to be done? _He then proceeded to deal blow after blow upon the Quincy, before allowing him to fall to the sand in defeat.

Orihime watched as blood gushed from the wounds of her friend, motionless and frozen within her expression of unconcealed torment. _Stop it…please stop it…_Ichigo lay beside her and Ishida before her, both appearing as if they would reunite in a world she could not yet follow them into. _What should I do? _Coherency was denied her as her mind continued to replay the horrors she had been seeing. She leaned toward Ishida, instinctively summoning her spirit flowers. _What should I do, Kurosaki-kun? _She willed them to drift over to the Quincy, feeling her emotions shatter at the prospect of retracting her aid from Ichigo. _I don't know what I should do. He's already gone, but…I can still help Ishida-kun…I can still…try…_

Ulquiorra faltered but Murciélago carried him forward, unleashing his tail to shatter the barrier Inoue had summoned over Ishida. He continued forward, keeping his gaze fixated on the man ahead. _I won't kill him…I won't…_The darkness within denied his words but he held onto them, even as his feet at last stopped above his adversary. _I won't…_

_I don't…I don't know anything. _Orihime inwardly voiced, her eyes wide and almost unperceiving. _I just don't know, Kurosaki-kun! _The Espada before her was no one. She could no longer grasp at the reality of who he actually was, for the truth was entirely denied her. It was as if her mind could not handle anything more than what had already been inflicted. Anything further would destroy her sanity, leaving her almost completely lifeless in its wake. _Ulquiorra-kun…where are you? Have you also been killed? You promised me…you promised me you wouldn't ever die…_

She fell onto her hands, unable to keep herself aright any longer; the weight of her misery becoming increasingly difficult to handle. _Kurosaki-kun! _She repeated his name, knowing that he was the only one that could still save them. With Ulquiorra gone, he was the only one she could turn to.

The sobs finally escaped as her soul cried out in desperation, countless fears falling freely from her face. "Save us, Kurosaki-kun!" _Save me, save Ishida-kun and…save Ulquiorra-kun!_

Ulquiorra turned at the sound of her voice, Murciélago instantly relenting and cowering upon the sight of her demeanor. Absolute and unabashed torment had completely taken her, leaving nothing wanting in the face of torment. He stepped away from the Quincy as if the proximity had burned him, the guilt now almost entirely consuming. _I've…hurt her again._

She could not see him; he had become insignificantly invisible to her. The Espada she had known was now dead to her, leaving only an unfeeling and forsaken beast in his midst. Ulquiorra continued to gaze into her tear-stricken eyes, remembering how it would feel to eradicate those tears and console her. He had always felt anger upon seeing them there before; anger at whatever source had inspired them. This time, however, he had been the one to summon them and the anger instilled upon that truth was more severe than any he had previously encountered.

_I'm sorry, _He wanted to say, yet recognized that those words would no longer hold any significance. She would not be able to hear them. Lifting his eyes to the sky, he observed the expanse of black before smiling sadly. Allowing his gaze to close, he allowed himself to picture the moments he had shared with her, and reflect on all the things he could have done differently. _I haven't done a single thing right since meeting her…why is that I only now realize how important she is to me? How wrong I was to feel resentment and to allow myself to inflict such pain upon her. That isn't what one does to a beloved person, that isn't what one does…when they love someone. _He had not known until now what that word meant, or what it implied. However, it was now so transparently clear that he marveled at its simplicity.

A sudden and disturbing aura then began to fill the air as Ulquiorra's eyes instantly opened and fell upon the body of Kurosaki Ichigo, allowing them to widen as the boy unexpectedly stood, the cast of his glare set exclusively on him. _Did the woman succeed in healing him? _His musing was cast aside however, as his mind continued to unravel what he was seeing. _No, something's different. Something isn't right. _A very dense spiritual pressure was then released, encasing Orihime and lashing out at all within its immediate vicinity. Ulquiorra looked to her anxiously. _She's in danger…I don't know what that creature is, but it isn't Kurosaki Ichigo._ He watched her turn, her tears stilled and her lips parted as she gazed up at the looming figure, its hollow mask and the prominent vacancy within its chest overshadowing her form.

It growled, a deep, unnatural growl, prompting her eyes to widen and waver at the sound of it. She inhaled sharply; _this isn't Kurosaki-kun…._

"Kurosaki," Ishida weakly managed, slowly lifting himself to observe him more closely.

Ulquiorra tore his gaze away from Orihime and allowed them to rest on the creature behind her. "Impossible," he voiced. Was he a hollow? Had he dying triggered something condemnable? He slowly began to feel an emotion he had never before experienced. Fear. Fear in its most undiluted form. Not only for her, but also for himself. A concept that had been completely foreign to him until now.

"You can't be alive," he stepped forward, determined to unravel the mystery of the strange presence before him. He also observed that the woman was far too close to the creature for comfort. "How have you taken that form?" He stopped and faced the imposing being, wondering if he would receive a response. "Who are you?"

The beast did not respond, simply thrust out his hand and beckoned his sword, which obediently levitated into his waiting palm. Ulquiorra's eyes widened at the immense display of power, hardly believing what he was seeing. Desperation gripped him then and it grew as he watched the hollow violently slash at the air behind him, forcing the very earth beneath to rise in a surging wave of sand and rubble. He heard Orihime scream as she was sent flying back toward a pillar, her body unceremoniously carried by the pressure. The Espada took a step forward, prepared to halt her fall before relaxing his stance as he watched the Quincy jump and safely secure her within his arms.

_Keep her safe, Quincy. _Ulquiorra silently implored the man, noticing in dismay the grimace imposed upon the impact of her weight on his wrist. He tore his eyes away, feeling a semblance of comfort in the fact that the woman was out of the way.

"Didn't you hear me?" he tried again, his voice more commanding as dust and fragments of stone encircled him. "I want to know who you are."

However, the creature only responded by unleashing a powerful and ear-piercing roar, its inhuman voice erupting from his wide mouth and filling the atmosphere in bone-chilling tones. Ulquiorra watched him carefully, reconfirmed in his notion that the beast before him was not the Shinigami. "I see you can't understand me." _Good…I can eliminate him without regret. Orihime will not be safe while this creature is alive. _He raised his hand and began to form a cero, noticing in faint interest that his body was readily responding to his commands. For the first time, he did not feel Murciélago's darkness attempting to claim the fight. _Is it because I am doing this to protect her? _

The creature answered his preparation by lowering his head and forming his own cero between the space of his horns, the red orb of light growing in surprising velocity. Ulquiorra's eyes widened upon the sight of it, noticing too late that his own cero would be completely outmatched by the creature before him. Both were simultaneously fired and the red onslaught overpowered and entirely consumed the Espada's attack. An explosion of fire resulted from the impact and swept across miles of desert, prompting Ishida to shield Orihime from the inferno before them.

Inoue felt her detached and numb demeanor begin to fade and reclaim emotions, her soul rising from the depths that had imprisoned it. As she watched the violent flames, she began to feel a small trace of anxiety. Anxiety for the Espada she had previously condemned and cast aside. She had thought her heart had completely closed itself off, no longer wanting anything to do with him…and yet…she felt its rate increase ever so slightly as she absently searched the blaze for a glimpse of Ulquiorra. She then released a very subtle and soft exhale upon seeing him fly above the flames, her hand subconsciously clutching at her chest.

Ulquiorra remained levitated above the fire below, his mind confused and altogether induced to chaos as it tried to discern the nature behind the creature's appearance. "Impossible," he stated again. "That was a real cero. One powerful enough to deflect my Cero Oscuras. This can't be. Despite how much he resembles a Hollow, a mere human cannot shoot a real cero. " His instinctive and primitive nature implored him to retreat but, as his eyes lowered and settled briefly upon Orihime that plea was entirely discarded. He did not know for certain whether the creature would attack her but he found himself unwilling to even allow that opportunity. _Is this how Ichigo felt…while fighting me? _He looked upon the beast as if it were a mirrored reflection of himself, so debilitating in its irony that he again cursed fate.

_The power difference is about the same…between that Shinigami and I…and between me and that creature. _Empathy coursed through him and he found himself admitting forthright respect toward the boy he had slain. _I regret my actions…will regret them every day from now into solitary eternity. _

He turned suddenly, his eyes shifting to regard the creature standing behind him, speed apparently another ability of his. The beast immediately began to power another cero, aiming its head toward the Espada.

Ulquiorra promptly lifted his hand, forming an answering attack. "Don't underestimate me." They both unleashed their cero, watching them collide in another detonation of flame; the red and green encompassing the air and mingling within the ignited smoke and agitated inferno.

The Espada performed sonido, having successfully evaded the blast. _He's deflected my Cero Oscuras twice! _He did not have time to ponder this however, for the creature executed a sonido as well, appearing behind him. Ulquiorra swiftly turned to look upon the sinister face of the beast as it leered down at him. His mouth parted and he lifted a hand to fire a point blank attack. However, the creature roughly grabbed his arm, denying the attempt before completely tearing the limb from his body.

Ulquiorra felt immense pain course from the site of the detachment and throughout his entire body, the blood gushing from the opening relentlessly. His mouth remained parted and he mutely regarded the beast before he received a blow across the face that sent him plummeting toward the flames below.

Orihime's heart lurched and she suddenly felt as if it were being torn into pieces. _No way. It can't be. _Her ears rang with the sound of shattered bone and her eyes widened upon seeing the arm that was carelessly cast aside, the arm that had once held her…the arm that had belonged to the Espada she once cared for. _That I once cared for? _She then contemplated, her soul beginning to concede and summon that which she had been overlooking. _I…still care. _Her eyes widened further upon the realization that started to seep through her hardened resolve. _Is that…_she looked to the creature that glared down at the Espada …_really Kurosaki-kun? _No…it couldn't be. Ichigo would never torture Ulquiorra like that.

She then returned her gaze to see the Espada hunched over, the blood raining down around his feet and his body suffering and struggling to breathe. Her veins were laced with sorrow at the sight of him. He had always been so calm and confident. He had always carefully carried and composed himself. Now…seeing him so broken was nearly enough to inflict tears.

Ulquiorra looked to the creature before him as he resisted the drowsiness the pain had induced over his vision and senses. He allowed his eyes to fall to where his arm had been severed; he grimaced before pouring his power into reconstructing it, the bone and skin reforming into a limb that was entirely identical to the former.

Inoue watched the recreation of his arm in astonishment as she allowed for a gentle, reprieving exhale. _That's right…his regenerative abilities are greater than all the other Espada. _Her heart then permitted her to hope, though that hope was still mingled with the hurt of his betrayal. A part of her was convinced that he deserved this punishment, while another cried tears of anxiety for him. It was confusing…entirely and completely inexplicable.

Ulquiorra lifted his hand, clenching the fist slowly to ensure that it had reformed properly. He found himself contemplating its ability to regain another chance at existing, a luxury he, himself was ironically denied. "My greatest attribute is not my offensive capabilities, but regeneration." He pictured the moment in which he had explained the same concept to the woman, who had been so distraught at the prospect of losing him. _How foolish I was to cast aside that connection. No amount of regeneration can ever reform what we had once been. _He could not bring himself to look to her, for fear of what he would find upon her façade. Was she imploring the creature to end his life? Was she reveling in the fate that had been bestowed upon him?

He lowered his hand and looked to the beast. "Unlike the other Arrancar who have lost the majority of their regenerative abilities, I saved the ability to quickly regenerate everything but my brain and internal organs instead of sacrificing it for brute strength." He lowered his gaze briefly, "I don't know how you transformed into that, but you'll never defeat me with your power boost…if you stop to stare at me after tearing out a single arm." He then joined his hands and formed an emerald glow which he then suspended into a lance resembling the one he had used in his first release. He lifted his eyes to the creature and announced, "Lanza del Relampago!"

He shifted the weapon in his hand aimed it toward the beast above, "stay away from me. Stay where you are. I would prefer not to set this off near me." He fought the urge to glance to the woman, as she was the sole reason for his caution. He only deliberated a moment before sending it coursing through the air toward his opponent.

The creature, however, swiftly maneuvered out of its path, allowing it to collide into the sands behind him, where it detonated and disbursed into a glowing and brilliant display of emerald. It eradicated the obstructive towers and swept the sands into powerful waves that attempted to breach the walls surrounding them. Orihime covered her face as the dust violently gushed around her.

Ulquiorra allowed his eyes to fall upon her, simply to make sure she had been unharmed before lifting them to the creature in disappointment. "I missed. It truly is hard to control." He then proceeded to summon another before aiming that as well.

Ishida's eyes widened from beside Inoue, "he can shoot out more than one of those things?"

Orihime did not respond, only watched in baited breath as she slowly lowered her hands. Her heart stilled, however, as she saw the creature perform a sonido and appear behind the Espada. Ulquiorra's eyes widened and he turned in astonishment at the swiftness of the creature. "What the-?" He observed silently, the harsh reality of his situation progressively seeping through his confidence. "He completely slipped through my Pesquisa? That wasn't a flash step just now. He used sonido!"

The creature lifted Zangetsu and struck. Ulquiorra lifted his lance and blocked the attack but found himself swept backward at the mere power behind the thrust. He looked to the moon and spotted his adversary before swiftly taking to the sky and pursuing him. His eyes focused and prepared for an answering onslaught before they suddenly widened as the monster vanished. He turned too late and felt the creature's massive hand upon his face, where it pushed him downward and into the pillar, continuing to drag him along the stone.

Orihime sharply inhaled, her hand clutching tighter over the heart that constricted with every beat. She watched Ulquiorra break free before straightening himself. She fought the urge to close her eyes as the creature advanced on him, the dread rising and threatening to overtake her. _I never expected…after what he had done…that I would feel this way again._ Every hit he received unfailingly instigated a surmounting agony throughout her body, an agony that was so harsh that it almost seemed to rival the pain she had felt upon losing Ichigo.

Ulquiorra lifted his spear and parried the strike sent his way, his mind desperately trying to compose himself. He had never been pushed to his limits. He had never before known what it was like to linger upon the threshold of death. One mishap and he would be eliminated. He closed his eyes. _And, even so…within that, I never expected to find myself experiencing such a strong desire to live. I never expected that the one thing I would long for most is a last smile from her…to see her face glow and shine again. _

"They're so fast," Ishida speculated, his eyes unwavering. "I can't even follow them."

Orihime did not respond, her mind continuing to fall further within anxiety. "Kurosaki-kun…" _If you're in there somewhere, please…don't kill Ulquiorra. _

The pair continuously clashed and maneuvered around the other, each determined to bring a conclusive end to the battle. "You're not getting away!" Ulquiorra shouted as he formed a cero. However, before he could respond, the creature appeared behind him and thrust him forward, his cero colliding needlessly into the rubble below. He landed on his feet and turned to see that monster was lifting a boulder. He threw it and sent it hurtling toward the Espada.

Ulquiorra regarded it listlessly, "Did you think that would startle me?" He lifted his lance, "get serious." He advanced forward but failed to notice until it was too late that the creature had used the rock as a diversion, effectively moving beneath it and lifting his sword to strike at the Espada.

Ulquiorra evaded the blade before retreating, preparing his lance before moving to propel it. However, the creature performed sonido and came to stand before him, grasping the spear with his hand. "Impossible," the Espada observed with widened eyes, "With his bare hands-!" His lance trembled within the powerful embrace of the beast's hand before it was completely shattered.

When the sand cleared, Ulquiorra stood astonished before he suddenly gasped upon seeing the creature directly before him, strike already executed. He received the slash across his chest, as it swept all the way up to his head, where it severed one of Murciélago's horns. Pain and confusion took his senses as blood splattered skyward, his eyes watching the crimson's trail in complete and uncontained dismay.

Orihime watched as the Zanpakuto pierced Ulquiorra's smooth chest and saw the agonized expression that took his otherwise impassive features. Her eyes followed his descent into the sand beneath the creature that continued to cruelly regard him. Merciless. That was what that monster was. And now, upon reflection, she realized that Ulquiorra had never been thus. He had chosen to instantly kill Ichigo rather than torment him. Not that the murder of her friend could be justified in any way, but the realization afforded her the clarity she needed to see that he in no way resembled the creature he was fighting.

"He won," Ishida stated in disbelief, his eyes wide.

Orihime, however, found that she unable to even consider what that meant. Only one observation circulated through her mind, promoting panic and desolation. _Ulquiorra-kun is…in danger. _

The warm sand received him, and Ulquiorra simply remained motionless within its embrace. He looked to the creature above through a narrowed gaze. "Curse you…I never imagined I'd lose to a human who could transform in to a Hollow. The very idea is ludicrous." The beast then raised his foot and placed it upon his head, pushing him into the ground and beginning to ready a cero.

_Point blank…I won't be able to survive that…_Ulquiorra closed his eyes briefly, the fear somehow dissipating and leaving only a tranquil resignation. Death had arrived for him at last. The hour of his departure was at hand, the gates of some unknown realm awaiting his arrival. _Was my life…even worth living? _He thought of all the sins he had committed and of all the choices he had made in the name of Aizen. Did any of that matter before the hand of death? Was any of it even worth considering? No…only one thing in his life had been worthwhile. _Orihime Inoue…_her name swept unopposed through his mind, the sweet and enticing sound of it surrounding and eradicating every single trace of lingering darkness. He regretted every single thing…except her. She had made his existence into something more than what he had been doomed to endure. He had risen above the instinct that had forever bound him….just as she had said he would. _She has always been right…about everything. _

"_When you both care for each other," she had stated gently. "Your hearts are able to draw a little closer together."_

The heart…a concept that had always eluded him before. Now however, the answer was so simple it astonished him. He had always unceasingly denied the possibility of a Hollow regaining that which was irreversibly lost. _But she was right about that too…_he speculated fondly. _My heart…is with her. And hers was right… in my hands. _

Orihime watched as the cero was powered above Ulquiorra, the orb of light foreboding and signifying the death that would assuredly follow its release. The gates barring him from her soul were suddenly thrust open and her anger and hurt bowed beneath the always anonymous emotion that he inspired. She closed her eyes and pictured him. She pictured him lying beside her, his arms around her and his eyes gentle and captivating. Despite everything he had done…she still did not want him to die. She still wanted him to continue living.

The cero grew, overshadowing its surroundings in crimson. Ulquiorra continued to stare up at his adversary, the defeat potent and accepted. "I see. You'll show no mercy. How very Hollow-like of you." _Still…_he thought, _this is how it's supposed to be and now… I find I don't mind. I betrayed that woman, and broke her. I deserve this. A life outside of her affection is meaningless. There is no point in escaping the reprieve fate is offering me. _"Go ahead," he told the creature. "I have no reason to live now that you've defeated me." _Now that I've lost the only thing ever bestowed upon me._ "Do it," he ordered assuredly. _Smile woman…smile every single day form here on. _He only hoped that she would be alright and that his blood alone would be enough to satiate the creature.

Orihime's heart fell, as time seemed to momentarily stand still and suspend in the moment before the blast was destined to reach Ulquiorra. She could not bear to watch him die…she had already lost Ichigo and found that she was in no way prepared to lose him as well. _He's done a lot of horrible things…he has hurt me more than anyone ever has. He betrayed and resented me. He has murdered and inflicted pain on others…he used to say the cruelest things and would look down anyone that did not equal him, including my entire race. _

However, within all of that, as she closed her eyes she felt her heart's thunderous beats subside into the serenity of her memories. _But…he wanted to change. He wanted to know what it was like to be human. He was gentle and warm…he was considerate and adverse to commit any act unless ordered to. He was my protector, my friend…my….most cherished person._ She opened her eyes and looked to him, her gaze falling upon his expressionless face in complete and affectionate resolve.

Even facing death, he could not be prompted to display what he was actually feeling. She smiled sadly as she remembered all the times in which that characteristic of his would frustrate her.

_I…don't hate him at all, _she realized suddenly and found that within this admittance came the final answer to the emotion she had always desired to discern. _I….love Ulquiorra-kun._

In that instant, she was filled with everything associated with that emotion, every response he continued to instill. All fault was silently and entirely forgiven within the overpowering wake of that which had always been present between them. She had cared for Ichigo, had been attracted to him, but…now that she had been enlightened to the true nature love possessed, she knew that what she had felt for the Shinigami was nothing in comparison to how she felt for Ulquiorra.

Her eyes then lifted from his face and to the attack waiting to slaughter him; she lowered her hands and clenched them into fists at her sides. _I have to save him. I can't let him die!_

"Ulquiorra-kun," she whispered gently, fondly, before rushing forward without a second thought, not even hearing Ishida's words of protest in response to her actions. Her eyes resumed their gaze upon the Espada's face as she neared him, willing her feet to move faster. Her heart was both elated and anxious. What if she didn't make it in time? And…upon reaching him, would her defenses be enough to dispel the attack?

_Please…_she pleaded her fairies, _I f I am ever to use my powers to accomplish something great, let it be this. Let me save him. _

She was only a few steps away…she did not avert her eyes…the only sound she could hear was the pounding of her heart…The cero was fired…she lifted a hand to the pins in her hair. "Santen Kesshun…" she breathed, "I reject!"…she reached out… her eyes closed as she fell over him… her arms surrounded and clutched him close as her shield was summoned….tears fell as she poured all of her heart into protecting him.

…..

Ulquiorra did not hear her approach, merely contented himself to await the fulfillment of the imposed threat. He closed his eyes and released a calm exhale, perhaps his last. Then…as he heard the shot fired, he simultaneously felt an enclosing warmth, a warmth of which he was entirely unfamiliar. Was death meant to be so satisfying? So soothing? He opened his eyes only to find that something was moving to intercept the attack, a golden light. His eyes widened before he felt the pressure of someone upon him. Crimson strands…magnificent hues of scarlet. He lifted a hand, not entirely convinced that what he was seeing was real. His fingers interlaced through her hair, the feel exactly the same as he remembered. He felt her heart, beating against his hollow chest, and he felt her arms, embracing him tightly.

He felt a strange shimmering within his eyes in response to what was happening and his lips parted as he continued to gaze upon her softly displayed hair within his hand. The cero impacted the barrier and encased them in red, its angry and violent determination desperately trying to overwhelm the gold. Orihime held him tighter, inserting her entire self and everything that she was into the barrier. Ulquiorra closed his eyes and lowered his arm, hesitating before wrapping it around her. He felt himself shifting into something that lingered between his release and his repressed state. His eyes resumed their emerald hues and the fur that covered his arms returned to pale, unblemished skin. The tear impressions upon his cheeks resumed their natural state and the gaping darkness from within the hole of his chest receded until it vanished entirely.

The cero disappeared and the creature fell back in agony as it lifted its head and roared before the mask upon its demeanor shattered, revealing the face of Kurosaki Ichigo beneath. The Shinigami collapsed and Ishida, recovering from the petrification of what he had just witnessed, stood and ran over to his friend. He felt his pulse and his eyes widened upon realizing that he was alive. The orange-haired teen resumed his former appearance, his lungs releasing a pent up breath of air before he raised his head to look upon the Quincy.

"I-Ishida?" he weakly attempted to rise. "What happened?"

"You don't remember?" the Quincy asked before lowering his eyes and shaking his head. "I don't know."

However, Ichigo did not hear him for, in that instant, his eyes fell to the pair beside them. Ishida followed his gaze and furrowed his brows anxiously. He had suspected the Espada's involvement with her, and assumed that he had somehow controlled and overpowered her. However…he had not expected such a reaction from Inoue. It was perplexing. There they lay, embracing one another, complete abandonment upon both their faces.

"Ishida…" Ichigo began, his mouth parted.

"I don't know, Kurosaki." Ishida answered truthfully.

Ulquiorra opened his eyes as the air settled, the shield still standing. He lowered his gaze to the woman in his arms before gently lifting himself, coaxing her to rise as well. Orihime looked to him before casting her eyes about the sands. The creature was gone, and they were still alive. Her heart swelled in immense relief as an awaiting onslaught of continued tears began to fall down the contours of her face. The Espada faced her and placed his arms upon her shoulders before lifting her, willing his own legs to stand. He regarded her silently and she looked into his eyes somewhat timidly. Her insight into her feelings for him had been discovered but…did he feel the same?

Ulquiorra lifted a hand to her face, his brows creasing in continued astonishment. She had saved him. With her powers, she had deflected the most powerful force he had ever encountered. He had never known she was so capable. Why had she done it though? Did she not despise him? His palm delighted in the smooth warmth of her cheek as he continued to hold her gaze without faltering. Her tears fell over his hand and he felt his feelings stir in response. She was so beautiful…the most beautiful things he had ever seen.

Orihime saw the overwhelming gentleness of his gaze and found herself almost unable to hold it any longer. She lifted both hands to his face and felt the familiar euphoria his touch inspired. His gaze softened and his remorse lurched in response to the feel of her hands. He did not deserve it. How was it that she was still willing to reach out for him? Despite that, however, the immense surge of happiness momentarily overpowered his unworthiness. He leaned towards her and she closed her eyes, his hand trembling as he continued to observe her. The light was back, somehow, it had come back. Murciélago wailed and lashed out against the glow she succeeded in shedding throughout his entire being. Ulquiorra could no longer feel the hold of darkness, or even the faintest trace of resentment.

His lips parted as he neared her; his hand began to move from her face and behind her neck, where the strands of her hair fell over his fingers. He completely received her heart and allowed his own to remain within the vulnerability of her desires. _Love…._that word coursed through him and inspired his veins to flow with an irrepressible fire. It surrounded and enticed him, inspired and enlightened him. Orihime held no reservations as she entirely allowed her soul to reside within the amorous fascination the Espada induced. He then allowed his eyes to close before crossing what distance remained, their lips embracing and instilling overwhelming warmth. The ash-ridden wind danced around and through them, the wings of fate delighting in their display of admiration.

He deepened his hold over her as his senses awakened and exulted in the fulfillment of her return to their enticement. She lowered her hands to his chest and felt the smooth, untarnished skin beneath her touch. Every sensation, every kiss and every embrace they had shared now seemed entirely insignificant in comparison to the pure, untainted essence of their current encirclement. It had all been a mere illusion to what awaited their complete acceptance.

He slowly withdrew and looked to her as she opened her eyes to receive his gaze. He allowed his hand to fall to her back where it gently held her, the tears on her face subsiding and leaving only a shimmering luminescence in their wake. For the first time, she did not feel compelled to blush. She was neither self-conscious nor ashamed of her actions; her responses were entirely her own, her impulses all inspired by the soft guidance of his touch. The unveiling of all concealment left only complete and immaculate enthrallment.

He suddenly felt an outside presence from behind her and slowly lifted his eyes to see both the Quincy and Shinigami gazing upon them in unconcealed astonishment. Orihime looked to him in confusion, wondering what had inspired such a guarded look before slowly turning her head and seeing the hold of his attention. Ulquiorra slowly began to retract his hand from its place on her back, his mind wondering what reaction he could expect from them. _I'm certain they won't stand for this…_

Orihime however, gently placed her hand over his arm, halting its retreat. His hand lingered upon her waist, unmoving and cautious as his eyes vigilantly regarded the two men before them. She looked to both her friends impassively a moment before her gaze softened and a gentle, reassuring smile crossed her features. _It's alright…_she silently soothed their expressions of uncertainty. _It will all be alright now._

Sand and the lingering effects of the fire drifted across the desert, carrying within it only whispers of the events that had transpired. The crimson strands of Orihime's hair were carried within its caress and the moon above illuminated and enhanced her skin within an eternal and unblemished glow. Ulquiorra looked to her, his eyes enticed and irrevocably captured by the sanctifying intoxication of her appearance.


	35. Soft, Cascading Waves

**A/N: WARNING! **Contains some **spoilers** pertaining to the outcome of the Arrancar arc. Nothing major but notable enough to warrant being said.

...

Chapter XXXV

Soft, Cascading Waves

"_If I were the rain that binds together the Earth and the sky, whom in all eternity will never mingle_

_. . . Would I be able to bind two hearts together?"_

_-Tite Kubo_

* * *

><p><em>****(17 months later…Spring, Karakura Town)****<em>

Orihime woke to the faint echoing of thunder, her eyes opening slowly to greet the early sun as its pale rays began to intercept and overtake the lingering effects of night. She absently gazed upon the gray and cloudy exterior beyond her window before turning and looking to the clock on her dresser.

'_5:47',_ she noted silently. '_I still have a few minutes.' _Her eyes then shifted to her closet, its door slightly ajar as was habit. Developed from a young age, her brother had suggested the method in order to dispel the threat of hiding monsters, effectively denying them the cover they would need to scare her.

'_Oh good, I remembered to wash my jacket last night,' _she smiled gently upon seeing the particle of clothing hanging neatly beside her uniform skirt. _'It's still too chilly to switch to our summer attire at school.'_

She snuggled briefly beneath her comforter, its warmth affording a momentary semblance of calmness. She closed her eyes and permitted her smile to widen. She breathed in the scent of her detergent, still wondering why that particular smell always seemed to refresh her senses. After a deep, lengthy sigh and a fleeting hesitance, she shoved her blanket away, cringing at the chill in the room before jumping up and quickly pacing across the floor to grab her attire.

She hastily changed, eager to cover her exposed skin and dispel the effects of the cold. _'This time of year always makes it so difficult to go anywhere. My bed is the only warm place.' _She frowned before shaking her head and clenching a fist, determined not to allow any negative thoughts into her mind. She folded her pajamas and set them aside. '_I'll have to remember to wear a warmer pair tonight. '_

Grasping her brush, she looked to her mirror and began to run the soft bristles through her wave-like tresses, the few disobedient strands at once smoothing beneath her prompting. She started to gently hum, wondering absently what the theme song for her life would sound like. '_It would have to be bittersweet I suppose, but cheery also. I wonder what that combination would sound like. Does something like that even exist yet?'_

She set the brush down and took in her appearance, smiling as she turned slightly to analyze her profile. Everything seemed to be in order, despite the slight lethargy that she hadn't entirely roused. As another faint muffling of thunder reached her ears, she looked to the window and allowed her eyes to examine the dreary sky. '_Looks like a storm is coming. Still a ways off though, I should be able to walk to school before it rains._' Lowering her eyes, she looked to her bed and allowed her smile to soften at what she saw there. Quickly striding her over, she bent and grasped her teddy before hugging him close. "Sorry," she stated gently. "I just jumped right out of bed without even saying good morning." Her hands fondly tightened over the plushy velvet of his body before gently returning him to his spot beside her pillow.

"Keep watch over the house while I'm gone, okay?" She lifted a finger to instruct the bear before spinning and grabbing her bag. She scanned its contents quickly, nodding as she noted that everything was accounted for. She flipped her hair behind her shoulder and hastily made for the door, her hand grasping the knob. However, before she could pull it open, she suddenly allowed her eyes to widen and her mouth to part in astonishment.

She immediately removed her hand and snapped her fingers, "Aah! I almost forgot!" She then turned and rushed over to her dresser, exhaling slowly as her eyes fell upon the two cerulean flower pins sitting there. She slowly reached out and placed her fingers over the smooth glass of the pieces, feeling her smile falter slightly at the contact. She took in an uneasy breath as her mind momentarily began to recount that which she had determined not to dwell. She closed her eyes and felt her heart release a very subtle ache. _I can't believe I still…_

Her eyes quickly opened and she vigorously shook her head before lifting the pins and fastening them to her jacket's lapel. _I can't be thinking these things. _She turned and forced her smile to return. _Besides, I promised. I promised that I wouldn't be sad. _

She strode forward determinedly and yanked the door open, her spirits lifting as she walked into her kitchen and grabbed her lunch. It was going to be a great day. The cafeteria was going to serve milkshakes and she and Ishida's after-school sewing session was scheduled. _Kurosaki is going to let me borrow that manga today as well. I can't wait to read it. _Her grin widened as she stepped outside and turned to lock her apartment. The wind was rather chilly but she didn't mind. She enjoyed the wind.

A clap of thunder caused her to jump and gasp softly before she laughed and shook her head. _It's only thunder, right? _She descended the stairs and clutched her satchel closely. The walk to school was not long and she savored the opportunity to enjoy the scenery. Being spring the cherry blossom trees were in full bloom and, as she spotted them, she subconsciously began to hum the tune they unfailingly inspired.

She lifted a hand to her hair as she tried to keep it from poking at her face. Tucking several strands behind her ear, she tilted her head to observe a scurrying bird across the pathway. The creature stopped and observed her a moment before frantically fluttering away. _Birds are such skittish things, _Orihime pondered. Lifting her eyes to the sky she noticed that the sun was desperately tried to remain shining through the heavy clouds that were shrouding it. The pale rays that mingled within the shadow cast an ethereal and beautiful glow upon everything below.

She smiled and breathed in slowly before spreading out her hands and closing her eyes, allowing her face to receive the biting caress of the wind. Her feet continued to carry her forward but her heart was completely stilled within the embrace of her surroundings. _Yes, today is going to be a wonderful day._ She lifted a finger to her chin and her eyes simultaneously opened. _I'm also off today. It will be nice not to have to worry about making it to work after school. _She had received a part-time position at the local bakery as a street vendor. Her mouth nearly watered as she thought of the warm, buttery taste the bread provided. She enjoyed her job, but also appreciated the prospect of simply doing nothing at home.

Orihime nearly skipped as she continued the trek to school, leisurely swinging her bag and continuing to hum the Sakura song her brother used to sing. The air began to steadily grow colder and, as the gates came into view, sparse drops of rain began to descend from the sky. Inoue stopped briefly to lift her head and examine the condensation. It instilled both a sorrowful and uplifting feeling. She smiled softly before lifting a hand and receiving a single bead of water. Looking to her palm she eyed the tiny puddle fondly before lowering her arm and allowing it to fall away.

"Orihime-chan!"

She lifted her eyes and grinned upon seeing a dark-haired girl approaching. She waved enthusiastically before making her way forward. "Tatsuki-chan!" She giggled and embraced her friend before falling in step beside her.

"You look like you're having a good morning," Tatsuki noted.

Orihime nodded, "mhm. I always try to."

They made their way up the hill and into the main educational hall before joining a throng of students. Orihime absently cast her eyes along the walls, her mind content to simply survey the area. She saw several people she knew and greeted them all cordially in passing.

She and Tatsuki entered the classroom and took their seats near the front, though the room was still primarily empty, most opting not to arrive 10 minutes before the start of class. However, as honor students both, they were in agreement that punctuality was entirely vital.

"So, the firework festival is this weekend," Tatsuki began as she looked to Inoue, who was dutifully setting her notepad and textbook upon the desk. "Are you going with anyone special this year?"

Orihime looked to her friend, her smile strangely unanimated and her gaze somewhat guarded. "Eh? I mean…uhm…" she looked down. "What do you mean? I thought I'd just go with you again."

Tatsuke laughed, "don't be shy, Hime. Are you going with a boy? I know several who would love to attend it with you. Why, just yesterday Koujin mentioned that he might ask you. He really admires you I think."

Orihime's insides froze upon hearing this, her eyes fixated on her desk and her hand tracing invisible patterns upon the faux wood. Her mind began to conjure sensitive thoughts and she desperately fought against their invasion. It certainly did not help that she suddenly noticed her finger was shaping a concealed and intricate _4_. _Is it going to be one of those days? Is it going to be one of the days I spend thinking of him? I thought for sure I'd gotten past that…_

She envisioned a white desert…smoldering remnants of flame…a golden light…emerald eyes…

"Orihime?"

She was roused at the sound of Tatsuki's voice and, as she slowly lifted her head to face her, she saw immense concern and anxiety upon her features. Inoue placed her hand upon her forehead and laughed awkwardly, "sorry, I…was daydreaming."

Tatsuki did not look convinced but conceded against pressing her for an explanation. She knew that something continued to plague the girl. In the first months following her return from wherever Ichigo had rescued her, her demeanor consisted entirely of that same haunted, distracted look. The brunette did not want to see her revert into such a state, despite her obvious determination to remain positive.

Orihime looked away as her friend continued to observe her. She had a feeling that the girl had not believed her answer, though knew it couldn't be helped. There were just some things she wasn't going to be able to speak to her about. A part of her felt somewhat guilty about her concealment while another found security in allowing that truth of her past to remain unrevealed. A suppressed secret only beheld by two other witnesses…who had assured her of their firm silence.

Her eyes lifted as one of them walked into the room, his bright hair seeming to illuminate the sudden dreariness of the atmosphere. He caught her gaze and offered a wide grin, his hand lifting in greeting. She felt her own features give way to an answering smile, her heart lifting instantly. He was followed by Ishida, who offered her the same courtesy, though with notably less liveliness.

They each took their seats, one in front and the other beside her. She cast her attention to the left and had to suppress a giggle. He always seemed to choose the window seat and she again found herself wondering why that was so. Ichigo did not seem to notice her appraisal as he sank into his chair and promptly allowed his eyes to wander and reside upon the sky beyond. It almost looked as if he were watching for someone, thought the identity of who that person could be eluded Orihime as she continued to regard the boy who had, at one time, unfailingly instilled a fluttering within her heart. Now, however, there was nothing but a calm silence, one that would never again be stirred by the half-Shinigami teen.

The teacher entered and proceeded to call out names from the attendance list, her eyes loyally set on the paper in her hand. The lesson continued from yesterday, wherein they all took notes and reviewed for an upcoming test. As final years, they had many exams and college resumes to consider, making each and every grade extremely important.

Orihime was determined to make top marks and enter into a prominent school. However, she was not yet sure what career she wanted to pursue. Many interesting prospects had entered and left her mind, though not one enticed fulfillment. It stressed her out somewhat, knowing that the decision was upon her. It was somewhat strange though, especially considering the events that had transpired a little over a year ago. Aizen had been defeated, along with all those associated with him. The final battle had been trying and rigorous. However, their side had achieved victory in the end. She again looked to Ichigo, still somewhat amazed at his display of power against the most powerful force she had ever known.

But he had sacrificed a great deal to achieve such a result. In defeating Aizen, he had begun to lose both his Hollow and Shinigami powers. She wondered if he would ever find a way to regain them, though everyone told her how impossible such a notion would be. It did not feel the same, going with Ishida and Sado to defeat the enemies that Ichigo had always been the one to slay.

He had always been their leader, their firm and strong protector. Lately though, it was left up to them to assume his role. On top of that…her eyes subtly widened as she suddenly realized who he was searching for. _He hasn't seen Kuchiki-san since that day…I…really understand now what he's been doing all this time._

She suddenly felt an involuntary shudder within her core and quickly tore her eyes away from the boy to focus on the monotony of their assignment. She could not allow her mind to return to the sadness and longing that continued to lurk beneath her façade. She could not allow anyone to see just how much she was still trying to repress.

She absently wrote each line prompted on the projector and, when the bell finally rang to signal the end of class, she breathed out a lengthy sigh. She felt better, now that she had been doing something productive. Tatsuki got up and looked to her with a small smile. "You coming?"

Orihime hastily shoved her books into her bag before looking to Ichigo, who continued to gaze out the window. "I'll catch up," she told her friend, who merely nodded and left the room. Turning to the boy, Inoue slowly approached before placing her hand upon his shoulder. He looked to her quickly, his features openly portraying that he was daunted at being caught spacing out again.

"I'm sorry, Inoue," he lowered his gaze before shaking his head and forcing a smirk. "Still haven't entirely woken up yet."

Orihime smiled gently before removing her hand and leaning against the desk opposite. She looked to him hesitantly before attempting to confirm her prior observation. "Do you…miss Kuchiki-san?"

His eyes widened briefly before he again look to the window, his mouth forming a small answering smile. "…yeah."

She did not respond, simply allowed her gaze to fall to the floor, as if she were invading on some personal experience of his. Ichigo withheld his attention another moment before suddenly returning his eyes to her. "And do you miss…?" he trailed off when she instantly regarded him with an almost confounded expression.

"Eh?" she allowed, carefully regarding him now.

He lifted a hand behind his neck and shook his head. "Er…never mind. It doesn't matter." He then quickly stood and placed his bag over his shoulder. "Shall we go?"

Orihime numbly nodded before following him out, her heart throbbing in continued response to the inquiry he had been about to voice. Had she heard the name, she would have undoubtedly relapsed into the ache that always awaited her return. Closing her eyes, she breathed in and out deeply, willing her reaction away. She marveled that her feelings were still so sensitive, even after the amount of time that had passed.

Lifting her eyes, she considered the boy in front of her. He had not seen Rukia in over a year and yet continued to look for her return. Was she at fault for not doing the same? She had said she wouldn't wait…Clutching her bag, she lowered her head and listlessly gazed at her feet. _It's not fair…Why is he allowed to hope and not me? _However, she knew that the answer was simple. _He_ had never planned on coming back. _He_ was gone. Rukia, however, had told them all that she would see them again. Despite also being from another world, separated in existence from Ichigo, her humanity had not been lost.

Swallowing, Orihime shook her head and forcibly placed a smile across her face. She entered her next class and sat beside Koujin, the boy Tatsuki had mentioned earlier. She nodded politely but withheld any further attention so as not to leave him with a false impression. The teacher was prompt to arrive, an occurrence Inoue was grateful for. She did not wish to succumb to the thoughts which desperately sought to take her or to allow the boy beside her the opportunity to invite her to the fireworks festival.

It wasn't that she disliked him; she just didn't feel it appropriate to attend such an event with someone she had no attachment to. On top of that, it still felt wrong somehow. Her hands wrung beneath her desk, distracting her mind from elaborating on that particular subject. As she reached up to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, she noticed that Koujin was staring at her. She met his eyes carefully before offering a restrained, courteous smile.

The lesson commenced and Orihime returned her attention to the instructor, her smile fading but her demeanor bright. Out of every other subject, she enjoyed history the most and, as an introduction to the exclusive summer session she had signed up for, they were starting their study of European history and culture. Her gaze widened slightly as she looked to the title page: _The_ _Early Practice of Medicine and Healing Remedies. _

Her demeanor shifted into one of intense and absolute interest, her eagerness surmounting. She was looking forward to discovering how individuals used to utilize their resources for the purpose of treating and preventing illnesses. Her own powers seemed to stir in response and her heart began to flit excitedly. She contentedly sighed as she scanned the contents of the chapter, settling into her seat and permitting her smile to linger.

The rest of the day passed relatively quickly and, when the last bell rang, Inoue hastily jumped from her seat. "Aah!" she winced, lowering a hand to grasp at the knee she had hit against the steel bars beneath her desk. Rolling down her stocking she moaned upon seeing a harsh bruise beginning to form. "Chhh…" she gritted before recovering it, adjusting the cloth comfortably around her thigh. Grabbing her bag, she carefully maneuvered out of her chair and joined the departing students. She hummed softly as she walked the halls at a leisurely place, her eyes set on the path toward her sewing session.

"Orihime-chan!"

The scarlet-haired girl turned at the sound of her name and stopped as Mizuiro Kojima stepped toward her, a small smile in place. She tilted her head as she observed the somewhat nervous expression on his face. "Yes? Did you need something?"

He laughed awkwardly before placing a hand behind his neck, a faint flush gracing his cheeks. "Well…er…I just wanted to ask you something."

"Eh? Ask me what?" Orihime blinked innocently, trying to figure out what he could want.

He brought his index fingers together and cast his eyes away from her, darting them back and forth fretfully. "Well," he smirked clumsily, which was strange as he was normally a very composed person. Orihime furrowed her brows but refrained from saying anything.

He finally looked to her and swallowed. "I wanted to know if you would like to come with me to the…festival this weekend."

Orihime's eyes widened and she simply regarded him wordlessly a moment before subtly lowering her head, her heart falling limp in response. "I…" she began, her gaze wavering and her hand clutching her bag even tighter. "I'm…." _Him too? _She pondered before turning. "I'm so sorry, "Kojima-kun!" Her feet then carried her swiftly away, determined not to look back at the boy she had just hurt.

_Why? _She wondered. _Why am I so upset? _She entered the classroom and made her way over to Ishida, a morose expression on her face. She then bowed apologetically. "Forgive me, Ishida-kun. I think I'll go home early today."

The Quincy regarded her anxiously before standing as she straightened. She withheld her gaze and he placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Are you feeling alright? Is something wrong?"

"No…" she answered, shaking her head slowly. "Nothing. I just…" she smiled. "I'm just kind of tired and I have a lot of homework to do."

He continued to silently analyze her, his mind attempting to decode the truth behind her obvious distress. However, he merely resigned himself to a sigh as he withdrew his hand. "Very well, Inoue-san. I will let you know if we learn anything new." He forced a smile. "Get some rest, okay?"

She nodded, "mhm. I will." She then turned and waved, "see you tomorrow! Say good bye to everyone for me, please."

Upon his affirmation, she swept from the room and descended the stars into the main hall, her shoulders slumping upon the realization that there was a downpour of rain beyond the doors. Removing her umbrella, she breathed in deeply before stepping outside and cringing upon the chill of the wind and biting wet of the churning rain. She stepped into a puddle and grimaced as she felt the condensation seep through both the leather and cloth of her footwear. She lifted her eyes and smiled slightly at the continuous sight of the sun, lingering just behind a darkened cloud.

Her footsteps padded gently against the stone of the pathway and her ears were greeted with nothing but the fall of the sky's tears upon the earth below. She did not know precisely what had suddenly triggered so many reactions in one day but nonetheless began to feel the return of all the memories she had been denying for several months. One in particular remained at the forefront of her thoughts. One that relentlessly inspired her heart to pulsate sorely within her chest as she slowly lifted her fingers to trace her lips, where the feel of a parting kiss continued to haunt…

….

_Ulquiorra watched both the Shinigami and Quincy for any sign of movement, his eyes defensive and his frame rigid. Orihime, however, did not seem even slightly ill at ease and, after another moment of regarding her friends, she returned her gaze to Ulquiorra. The Espada reluctantly withdrew his vigilance to greet her attention, his hand tightening slightly upon her waist. _

"_Ulquiorra-kun…" she whispered, lowering her eyes and finding that she did not really even know what to say. _

_The Espada, however, began to feel the return of his guilt and remorse, the depths of which emerged and surged through his entire core. He engraved her lovely face within his thoughts and began to devote every detail of her presence into memory. He was not worthy to stand beside her, had never been. She did not belong in Hueco Mundo. She did not belong with him. _

_He closed his eyes as the final semblance of denial and protest awakened and attempted to reclaim his desire to keep her. However, he knew that it would not be what was best for her. He knew that she would never be entirely happy without the world and past she continued to hold dear. 'Damn it', he silently cursed, cringing in anticipation of releasing and denying himself the continuation of her company. His entire body seemed to ache in apprehension of the words he would next speak. _

"_Orihime," he began slowly, opening his eyes and capturing hers. He looked to her in silence for several breaths, simply reveling within the final moments he would spend with her. She had saved him, had forgiven every fault and flaw he had inflicted over her. She was truly the most captivating individual he had ever laid his eyes upon; her existence seemed to shake the very foundations of the universe. Her heart was pure and good and his tainted hands had never earned the right to allow such a beautiful thing to reside within their grasp. _

_He lifted his hand and returned it to her face, where he caressed her cheek gently. "Orihime," he repeated, marveling at the fact that he could not seem to recite her name enough. "I…" his brows furrowed and he had to literally force his voice to continue. It was then that Orihime began to feel an initial swell of unease. She did not know what to make of the tormented look he was suddenly portraying._

"_Thank you, for everything you have shown me," he began, his other hand grasping her waist ever tighter. "And…thank you for aiding me in finally realizing what it means to obtain a heart. I'm sorry, for everything I've done and said to hurt you. I would take it all back if I could. I would have chosen to never bring you here if that option could be reentered. You are the only thing in my life that has been worth anything and I…" he leaned closer and allowed his forehead to rest against hers. "I thank you for offering your heart to me as well." He inhaled slowly, "However…I find that I cannot allow you to grant me such a gift. I want you to hold onto your heart, and give it only to the one who never fails to bring a smile to your face, to the one that will never make you cry." _

_Orihime's eyes suddenly widened as they began to shimmer in response to what she was hearing. Did he not understand? Did he not understand that he was the only one she wanted? Did he not know how completely in love with him she was? "Ulquiorra-kun…" she weakly attempted, though her voice was barely audible._

"_Go with Kurosaki and the Quincy," Ulquiorra replied then, his words trembling only subtly. "Go to where you have always belonged. I'm not someone you should devote your life to."_

_She shook her head, as the shimmering in her eyes began to descend down her face. "You could come with me…"_

"_I don't belong there," he gently responded, his resolution gradually solidifying. "My place is here. Our two worlds were never meant to cross. People need your help; Aizen's defeat will not come without a cost."_

"_I've just gotten you back," she stated, imploring him to change his mind. "I don't ever want to be without you again."_

_He fell silent as her soft words caressed and attempted to eradicate his decision. However, he now knew what it meant to sacrifice oneself for another. He knew that the only way he would ever be able to redeem the love he held for her would be to let her go, to grant her that which he knew she truly desired. Lifting his lips to her forehead, he kissed her tenderly, closing his eyes and committing the feel of her skin to the recesses of his soul. _

_He could feel the sobs coursing through her body and pulled her close, holding her to his chest and allowing his face to reside against the soft, enticing strands of her hair. He felt her arms receive his embrace as they reached around his waist to return the gesture. She clutched him tightly and he allowed his hands to the do the same. _

"_Promise me," he whispered into her ear, the intimacy of the motion instilling a faint shudder through her veins. "Promise me that you won't ever feel sadness again. Promise that you'll always wear a smile. And…promise that you'll live your life fully rather than spend it waiting."_

"_I-" she breathed in, "I can't, Ulquiorra-kun."_

"_Please," he drew her closer, his voice fervent. _

_She was silent for a while, afraid to remove her arms, afraid to watch him disappear. Closing her eyes, she breathed in his scent and fell within his warmth. She thought back to when it had all started, to the very first kiss she had given him. He had been so confused, so…intrigued. With all her heart, she wished she could experience everything all over again. Time moved too fast. It changed too many things. Releasing a soft, wary exhale, she finally lifted her head, the tears beginning to recede as she looked to him reluctantly. "Will I ever see you again?"_

_Ulquiorra said nothing, merely lifted her face and looked into her eyes before bringing his lips to hers, a final kiss to engrave upon solitary eternity. He could not say what fate had planned for them but within his current resolve, he fully intended to remove himself from her life. She had many things left to do among the world of the living, and he was cursed to walk a lonely path within a land of desolation. He would not return to Aizen, and would never kill again. He would instead wander and spend his days in absolute seclusion, with only Murciélago for company. _

_Orihime felt her heart constrict at the contact of his lips, her hands beginning to loosen as she felt her trembling replace any strength she still contained. She tried to deny the logic behind his decision, though knew full well that everything he said was true. He did not belong within her world, and she did not belong in his. She had arrived at that conclusion a long time ago, even from the beginning she had known that reality did not offer them a place to reside together. Her soul lamented in response to her contemplations, though did not protest. He was making the right choice, the choice she would have to make as well. People still needed her help. She still had a life to live and still had others to share that life with. However, despite all of that, she knew she would be creating a void that would never be filled without his presence. A void that would accompany her through the rest of her days, always reminding her of the one person she most desired to hold onto._

_She pulled away and then embraced him a final time, her eyes closing tightly and her sobs subtle and subsiding. She breathed in shakily before lifting her lips to his ear. "I promise," she whispered as her tears fell against his cheek. "I promise to try." She buried her face into his bare shoulder, reluctant to release him. "I'll miss you, Ulquiorra-kun."_

_He held her close, kissing her cheek and allowing his fingers to entwine through the hair, the feature he still admired most. "I will miss you too, Orihime. Always."_

_The soft sound of approaching footsteps then sounded as both Ishida and Ichigo tentatively approached the pair. They eyed Ulquiorra warily as he lifted his gaze to them but seemed to relax when he merely nodded. Orihime slowly turned her head to look up at her friends, her cheeks flushed and irradiated._

"_Inoue-san," Ishida began carefully. "We…really should go now. Aizen has already entered Karakura Town." _

_Ichigo smiled gently before extending and offering his hand to her, his eyes empathetic and soft. "Come on home, Inoue. Everyone is waiting to see you."_

_Ulquiorra lowered his eyes to her, slowly retracting his hold and stepping back. "Go on." _

_Orihime withheld her gaze a moment before lifting them to his, the only contact still remaining being their interlocked hands. She tightened her hold, smiling sadly as she felt the tantalizing warmth of his palm against hers. She bit her lip before numbly nodding in return, desperately fighting against the ache that threatened to drown her. She could feel her throat tightening but denied the sobs that were forming. _

_He began to remove his hand, each impending second seeming an eternity. His warmth slowly subsided until it was completely gone, her eyes continuing to watch as he turned and began to walk away, his form seeming only a mirage within the white desert waiting to engulf and remove him from her life. Then, after he turned his head and offered a small, almost imperceptible smile, he vanished, the sand stirring only slightly in response to the sonido he had performed. _

_Orihime breathed out sharply, lifting her hands to clutch her throbbing heart. "Goodbye," she brokenly whispered to the vacancy he had left. Ichigo looked to her and placed his hand upon her shoulder, though refrained from saying anything. Indeed, he hardly knew what to say. He concluded that she would explain it all when she was ready and resolved not to press her until that day came. _

_Ishida, likewise, simply looked to the absence of the Espada in silence, the many questions in his mind resounding and relentlessly demanding that he satiate them. However, he also decided not to encroach the subject with the girl until she was able to reveal everything. Of one thing he was certain, however, and it served to ease him somewhat. She had meant something to the hollow. He did not know how it had happened, or how it was even possible but…the heartless creature had inexplicably been able to reach a level of humanity. He had been able to look past his own desires and release her. _

_As a Quincy he had always believed hollow to be inherently evil, beyond redemption and unworthy of an afterlife. However, his firm beliefs had been shaken, inflicting a great deal of turmoil. The world began to suddenly portray shades of gray, intercepting and eradicating the line between black and white. Not everything was so bound to destiny and fate. Some things were able to transcend the limits of predetermined destiny. Ishida lowered his gaze and clenched the hand in which he had always so resolutely held his bow. What path was he supposed to follow now?_

_Orihime tore her eyes away from the desert and looked to both Ichigo and Ishida in turn before slowly allowing a small smile to form. She was indebted to both of them, of that she could admit. They had rescued her and demonstrated how very much they continued to care for her. "Shall we go?" she muttered softly, though her voice was laced with an enduring sorrow. She knew things would be different now. Despite Ulquiorra's determination to remove his place from her existence, one could never fully remove someone they had connected with. Her heart was still with him and his was still with her. That was something no amount of distance or passage of time could completely erase…._

_...  
><em>

Orihime walked up the stairs to her apartment, waiting until she had entered the awning before retracting her umbrella and fumbling for the keys in her purse. She clumsily unlocked the door as her hands shook, the cold not entirely to blame for the occurrence. Stepping into her living room, she shut the door behind her before leaning against it as she allowed the umbrella and her keys to slip from her hands onto the floor. She leaned her head back and gazed up at the ceiling listlessly, her memories of the Espada unrelenting, as was common whenever she allowed her mind to freely recollect him.

She then wrapped her arms tightly around her torso and lowered her head, her heart bowing beneath the weight of her repression. She withheld her tears but could not seem to ease the shaking of her body. She slid down the wall and sat on the wood flooring, lifting her knees and clutching them closely to her chest. _Stop it…_she pleaded her emotions. _You promised him… _She allowed her head to rest upon her arms as they crossed atop her legs. _When will I stop hurting like this? How long do I have to wait?_

Lifting her eyes to the pane of glass as the rain fell sadly upon it, she wondered again why the downpour always seemed to beckon all of her suppression and struggle. _He's out there somewhere, _she pondered analyzing the sky. _He exists even though I can't see him. He's there, he's real. _She then closed her eyes and breathed in and out deeply, beginning to dwell upon all the happy moments she had spent with him, as was custom for dispelling all the sadness she associated with the Espada. She knew that she would be alright tomorrow, as times like these were becoming less frequent and less consuming.

* * *

><p>It continued to rain over the days that followed, though the news station promised clear skies for the fireworks festival. Orihime sat in her apartment after school on Friday, somehow doubting the validity of the weather forecasters. She looked to her homework almost detachedly, already missing the sun and wishing it would return and dispel the unrelenting storm. Tapping her pencil, she bit her lip and furrowed her brows upon being presented with a particularly difficult problem. <em>I know this one, I remember teacher going over this in class…let's see…uhm…hmm…maybe I don't know after all…<em>After another moment, she lifted her hands behind her head and stretched, only then realizing that she was still wearing her uniform. _Aah! I forgot to change again!_

She sighed and then looked to the window again. Walking always seemed to clear her head, though the weather was still entirely dreary. _Oh well, _she thought. _I can't concentrate while sitting still like this. _The rain was descending only lightly, not anywhere near as heavy as days prior. _Perhaps it _will_ clear up by tomorrow night. _She rose and grabbed some money, deciding to venture only as far as the local convenience store to purchase a snack. Sweets helped with concentrating as well, something she had discovered a long time ago. _I hope they have my favorite honey and caramel covered cherries, they were out of those last time. _She slipped into her jacket and grabbed both her umbrella and purse before stepping onto her balcony to observe the waning light of the evening sun, all the clouds decorated in shades of scarlet, amber and rosy pink.

_It is lovely out here, _she admitted, completely tired of seeing nothing but lifeless grey and black. She locked her door before carefully descending the steps, as they were slick and hazardous, a fact she had learned the hard way last time it snowed. She had worn a bruise on her upper thigh for almost six whole weeks, giving her cause to wince whenever she would sit down.

She wore an easy smile as she breathed easily, delighting in the simple pleasure of an innocent, invigorating stroll. The air was cool but not bitingly so, and the quiet stillness of the evening city portrayed a tranquil atmosphere. She stopped at the crosswalk and waited for a lone car to pass before continuing, the store coming into view several yards ahead. She looked to the buildings above and wondered at the individuals who dwelled within them.

She loved her town, always had, and wondered if she would be able to remain in it forever. The world was open to her now, waiting for her decision on a career and path of life. She did not really desire to travel or see exotic places, simply contented to keep close to home. She loved history but was satisfied to merely read on it rather than explore it. Her monetary supporting, distant relatives wanted her to pursue a veterinary license, while she was much more inclined to stay out of the medical field. She loved animals, but the study of their anatomy and prospect of performing surgeries was almost too horrifying to contemplate. Still, she _did_ have the pressure of choosing a profession they agreed with, as they were going to finance all of her college expenses.

She released a heavy sigh before looking up and smiling as she reached the shop. Closing her umbrella, she entered and waved to the familiar face of the young clerk behind the counter.

"Hey, Orihime. How are you?" he greeted pleasantly.

"Wonderful!" She lifted a thumb to further emphasize that she was in good spirits. Turning, she began to peruse the aisles, placing her finger thoughtfully to her chin as she analyzed her options. Everything was so delicious and she was tempted to simply buy one of everything before remembering that her relatives had chastised her the last time she'd done that.

_Oh well, _she resigned, also noting that they were still out of her favorite treat. _I suppose….this will do. _She grasped a package of sugared pineapples before turning and approaching the register. She cast her eyes a final time about the room, trying to remember if there was anything else she presently needed. _I suppose not. _

"I'm ready!" She grinned at the cashier.

He turned and nodded before scanning her candy, punching in the total and receiving her cash. "You do anything exciting this week?"

She shook her head, "not particularly. Just school. Oh!" she looked up thoughtfully, "I _did run_ into a comedian on my way home yesterday. He was retired and said that he just liked to roam and think of funny things to say. He told me some jokes and I laughed at every single one of them." She suddenly leaned forward excitedly. "Would you like to hear one?"

The boy shrugged, "sure."

Orihime smiled and cleared her throat as she straightened. "How can you tell if there's an elephant under your bed?"

The boy allowed for another shrug and Inoue lifted a finger matter-of-factly. "Firstly, check the doorway. The average elephant is far too large to fit through the standard bedroom door. Look for signs of damage. Secondly, check with the people you live with. It's unlikely no one will have noticed an elephant in the house."

She exploded into laughter, clutching at her sides while he simply regarded her in confusion. However, when she lifted her head to look up at him he allowed for a soft chuckle and forced smile. "That's a good one."

Orihime nodded, "I know." She eased her breaths and the giggles subsided. "Being a comedian would be fun, wouldn't it?"

He nodded, "yes, I suppose. Fun is kind of their profession after all."

Inoue's eyes widened, "you're right! I never thought about it that way."

He just offered another smile before handing her a small bag, "be safe walking home, it looks pretty bad out there right now."

"Eh?" She exclaimed before turning and looking out the door to see that the sky had considerably darkened, all the colors replaced by heavy gray. "Aah," she frowned, also noting the intense downpour of rain. How had that happened so suddenly?

"You're more than welcome to hang out here for a little while," the clerk offered.

Orihime shook her head, "no, that's okay. My home isn't far." She closed her eyes and braced herself, lifting her umbrella and inhaling deeply. She then pushed open the door, and shivered against the drop of temperature. Clutching her bag, she looked sullenly down at the puddles of water at her feet. _My aunt is going to have to buy me some new shoes._

She walked slowly across the street and stayed close to the street lamps illuminated above her. _I feel kind of foolish for leaving the house now. _She sighed but smiled all the same. It wasn't the rain's fault, it could not control itself. _Besides, _she looked up as her feet carried her onward. _It's sort of pleasant when you stop and think about it. _

Orihime thought about the fireworks festival and began to catalogue what she would bring. They always had games and entertainment, something she thoroughly enjoyed. It had been decided that she, Ichigo, Sado and Ishida would attend together. Tatsuki had originally been part of the group but yesterday accepted Keigo's offer to attend with him. She never even knew her friend fancied the boy. _Stranger things have happened though, _she silently conceded.

She subtly smiled before reaching the end of one lane and entering the intersection of another. Looking to her left for any sign of an approaching vehicle, she saw nothing but a lone figure. Orihime looked to her right and then nodded in satisfaction before crossing the road, her eyes set on the apartment that was coming into view.

Before she had crossed the street however, something suddenly caused her heart to plummet and her steps to halt. Coming to a standstill, her eyes widened and her mouth parted. Something in her subconscious thought it recognized who that lone person was, its small, earnest voice attempting to resurrect her buried enthrallment. _I must be imagining it, _she told herself. _There's no way…I've just been having a rough couple of days._

She wanted to turn and confirm her logic while at the same time wanted to ignore it and continue forward without looking back. The rain swept around her and her hand shook upon the handle of her umbrella. Looking down, she fought against the small glimmer of hope that had been roused. She told herself it was impossible and that her eyes were only searching for something that was not there.

Her foot shifted, and she tried to ease her pounding heart before slowly turning, her eyes growing progressively wider and her mouth parting further in astonishment. The umbrella, grocery bag and purse all fell from her hands and onto the gravel beneath her feet as her entire body shook with recognition.

He stood there, gazing up at a building above, the rain surrounding and dancing through his long, dark coat and black, sodden strands of hair. His hands were held securely in his pockets, the familiarity of the sight prompting her mind to cross the threshold of disbelief into absolute certainty. She lifted a hand to her chest as her brows creased in response to her sudden infliction of emotions. _I'm not just seeing things, that's really him. That's…_

The rain was drenching her, seeping through her clothing and to her skin. However, she hardly noticed as she took a single, involuntary step forward. Those steps though, halted as his emerald gaze slowly drifted over to her, holding her. He regarded her absently a moment before he fully turned to face her, his features softening though remaining somewhat guarded. Neither made a further motion to move, only regarded one another as if they were only figments of the other's imagination.

Other than the absence of a mask, he looked entirely the same. The tear impressions were there, as well as his ever-passive façade. His skin was pale as snow, and his eyes were every bit as hauntingly arresting as ever. Orihime fought against what she was seeing, but found that her emotions had already taken over her responses. "Ulquiorra-kun…" she breathed.

Ulquiorra observed her changed appearance, noting the differences the year had inflicted. She was even more beautiful than when he last saw her, the image of her face replacing the one he had held onto after their parting. Her hair was longer than he remembered, descending in soft, cascading waves, her bangs falling just below her jawline. He also observed that her Six Flower pins were fastened to her jacket rather than within her hair. The color was so much more vibrant than his memory could honor and her demeanor was one that lacked the underlying sadness it always held while in Hueco Mundo. Within her eyes he saw a controlled, prevailing flame that he had always recognized yet never actually seen.

The Espada then slowly raised a gloved hand, silently offering it to her, while at the same time withholding how unsure he was of her acceptance. Orihime's gaze fell to his palm, where the rain relentlessly fell onto the leather of his glove, compiling there before sliding downward and crashing at his feet. She returned her gaze to his face, searching for any sign that he was merely a mirage of her mind, tricking her into perceiving a false reality.

_Even so, _she took a step forward, her heart continuing to pound through her chest and her breaths growing ever more laborious. _If this really is just a dream…I won't turn away. _She had thought the emotions he instilled would have become more subtle, less prominent over time but, upon seeing him again, she found that they had only concealed themselves, now emerging all at once and nearly debilitating her.

She hesitated a final moment before rushing forward and wrapping her arms tightly about his neck, clutching him closely and shutting her eyes as the tears broke free and mingled within the rain. Ulquiorra's eyes widened before he steadied himself, the sudden contact of her body awakening the longing he had been suppressing. He lowered his hand and wrapped both arms securely about her waist, the return of her enticement so intense that his senses could hardly endure it.

He brought one hand through her hair, the feel of her strands fulfilling the desires he had been withholding during the time that had seemed more an eternity than the countless centuries he had endured within the Hollow world. He closed his eyes and drew her closer, contenting to simply hold her with only the sound of the rain to surround them.

….

Orihime unlocked the door to her apartment before slowly opening it and stepping aside for Ulquiorra to enter behind her. Flipping on the light, She stood beside him an awkward moment before quickly escaping to her room and retrieving two towels from the closet. She sighed as she simply stood within the dark interior, the light from the main room streaming through the partially opened door. Ulquiorra was out there and, though he hadn't even offered an explanation for his return or why he no longer possessed a mask, she was entirely convinced that he wasn't just a figment of her imagination.

The pounding of her heart and continued insecurities his presence in her house afforded was proof enough of that. Water fell from her sodden strands onto the hardwood of the floor, her shivers failing to subside even within the warmth the small space heater beside her bed provided.

She took a deep, uneven breath before returning to the Espada and handing one of the towels to him before proceeding to wrap the other around her shoulders. "I will try to find something dry for you to wear in a little bit," she began softly, avoiding his gaze. "I might have a t-shirt that would fit you."

He nodded but said nothing, allowing for silence to ensue before Orihime quickly turned. "Tea! I should make some tea." She allowed a brief glance in his direction. "Would you like some?"

He again nodded and she hastily retreated to the kitchen, where she began to clumsily prepare the hot water. She fumbled with the kettle and with the knob upon the stove before opening the cabinet and setting out two mugs. The ceramic clanked against the countertop and she jumped back only to watch in horror as one of them fell and shattered on the floor. _Aah, _she brought a hand to her mouth to cover it before carefully stepping around the broken glass.

Grasping a broom, she swept up the mess before more carefully bringing out another cup, gently placing it beside the other. The nervousness was beginning to overwhelm her as her heart continued to thunder relentlessly through her chest. She had never been alone with a boy in her apartment before and the more she thought on it the more flustered she became. Even though she had been alone with him countless times within her cell at Las Noches, he being in her house seemed so much more intimate and exclusive.

Turning, Orihime suddenly gasped as she Ulquiorra standing in the archway. "You're being self-conscious," he stated, observing her expression.

"Aah…uhm…," she laughed uneasily before bringing a hand to her head. She widened her eyes, however, upon realizing that she was only validating what he had just said. "Aah!" she said again before immediately removing her hand and blushing fiercely.

Ulquiorra was motionless another moment before stepping towards her and lifting a hand to her heated face. "You don't need to be, Orihime. Though, I know it's been awhile…" he trailed off and lowered his gaze.

Inoue analyzed his features a moment before looking to her arms, which she held around her waist. "Ulquiorra-kun…why did you decide to come back?"

Her question hung in the air, unheeded within the tense atmosphere for several moments before Ulquiorra finally returned his gaze to her. "When you saved me from the cero, your shield did more than just prevent the attack. I first noticed it when I began to immediately shift from my release into my suppressed state. When you rejected the external impact of that hollow, you also began to reject everything internal as well."

Orihime lifted her eyes to him then as he removed his hand and unfastened the top three buttons of his shirt, revealing only smooth, untarnished skin upon his chest, the familiar hole entirely absent. Her gaze widened as he continued. "After we parted I realized that a change had slowly begun to occur within me, it was subtle at first but gradually became more prominent over time. It affected everything from my powers to the erosion of my mask. Murciélago was in agony, and he inflicted that pain over me. It became so intense that I could hardly move for countless days until he finally disappeared entirely. The final piece of my mask fell away and the last seam upon my chest was sealed, hiding the truth of my nature forever. I transcended into something neither Hollow nor human, claiming an unprecedented existence.

My Zanpakuto was gone and I could no longer use any abilities associated with Murciélago. I was able to perform cero and sonido for a while but those eventually left me as well." His gaze softened and he lifted his hand through her damp hair, the silken and tantalizing tresses of scarlet caressing his skin. "Orihime, you rejected all that made me hollow, rejected that such a change had ever occurred within me. Though you could never reinstate my humanity or return my physical heart, you broke the curse that bound me. After losing my abilities I knew I could no longer stay in the Hollow realm and so, with the last of my strength, I executed Garganta and arrived here. I did not know whether to expect your acceptance but decided I would try all the same." He tilted his head, "I thought about you every day, and wanted nothing more than to return to your side. I owe you everything and am aware that I will never be able to fully reconcile myself for everything I've done. However, you forgave me and I will do everything I can to never betray your trust again."

He was nowhere close to removing the guilt and unworthiness that plagued him but, being a part from her had been equivalent to an unbearable purgatory of loss and he found himself hoping as he never had before that he would be able to stand beside her again. However, he was willing to concede if she favored a life without him. It was still probable, he knew, that she and that Shinigami had formed a companionship.

"Please tell me, Orihime, if you would rather I leave. I understand if you've moved on, as I was the one who suggested you should. At your word, I will remove myself from your life and never return. I won't fault or resent you for it." Ulquiorra fell silent as she gazed into his eyes expressionlessly.

Then, after several breaths she slowly shook her head as tears began to form. "Ulquiorra-kun," she began, managing a small smile. "No….no that isn't what I want at all. I don't want you to ever leave me again. You're still the one I want to be with. I missed you every day that you were away and, even though I tried to move past that and enjoy my life with a smile, I could not completely fulfill my pledge to you. I was…still sad. Even after so long, I…" she lifted a hand and wiped her tears away, the flush of her cheeks consuming her demeanor. "I continued to really love you." She shrugged and attempted a weak laugh, "that's crazy right? I-"

He suddenly brought his other hand to her face and pulled her to him, his lips encasing and silencing hers. Her widened gaze slowly eased and finally closed as her tense and shaken body relaxed and accepted his kiss. She wrapped her arms around his waist and he ran his fingers along her cheek, the smooth skin delighting his to a nearly intolerable extent. He then brought this hand through her hair as well, absently reflecting on the fact that this most fascinating trait of hers was now his to appreciate forever.

She breathed in his scent and fell completely within the hold of his embrace, the kiss removing all lingering doubt and sadness. After so long, his sudden return merely intensified all her latent responses to his touch. Her senses were both unacquainted and entirely familiar with his hold, the emotions he instilled surmounting and surpassing all feelings she had held for him prior. Bringing her arms around his neck, she pulled him closer and he silently complied before deepening his caress and wrapping his arms about her waist. He lifted and embraced her, attempting to satiate the absolute longing that demanded fulfillment.

They suddenly broke apart, however, as the kettle whistled. Orihime looked to him breathlessly a moment before reddening and rushing over to the stove as he set her down. Ulquiorra watched her motionlessly as she hysterically prepared their tea, the obvious self-awareness overtaking her. He faltered another moment before walking over and wrapping his arms about her waist, watching in subtle amusement as she suddenly stiffened at his touch.

She lifted a hand and wrapped a strand of hair behind her ear, gaze widening as she looked to the encirclement of his arms. "I'm sorry, Ulquiorra-kun…I'm being silly."

He only closed his eyes as a small, faint smile crossed his face. "Don't apologize. It's one of the things I enjoy most about you. I've missed absolutely everything." He was silent for several moments as the steam from their mugs of tea carried its spicy scent over to him, a desire for its taste inspired for the first time. "I love you, woman."

* * *

><p>The following evening, Ulquiorra and Orihime walked hand in hand toward the festival that had been arranged in the field just outside of town. Sakura petals were scattered about the ground, the week's rain having caused them to fall prematurely from the branches above. However, as promised the skies were currently clear and vibrant. They ascended a slope, the sight of the many game tents, vendor stalls and food booths coming into view when they reached the top. Inoue then tightened her fingers over his, her heart thudding somewhat anxiously and her eyes scanning the crowd below for any faces she knew.<p>

Aside from Ichigo and Ishida, no one was aware of his existence and even they had not been informed of his return. She looked to the Espada and he met her gaze instantly. "You alright?" he asked, observing her expression.

She forcibly smiled, "yes…" she laughed awkwardly, "why wouldn't I be?"

He removed the hand he had placed in his pocket before playfully tapping her flushing cheek. "I know when you're bothered by something, Orihime."

Her blush instantly deepened before she lowered her eyes to avoid his piercing stare. "Well…I just don't know what to expect from everyone. What if…they don't like you? Or what if they get mad at me for not telling them about you? Kurosaki-kun and Ishida-kun also….what will they say?"

Ulquiorra was silent a moment before lowering his hand to her chin, successfully prompting the return of her gaze to his. "Don't worry, you don't have to explain everything right away." He paused, "and I'm sure the Shinigami and Quincy will understand. They trust and care for you, I know they do."

"Ulqui-" Orihime began before a sudden voice cut her off, her eyes widening as she turned to look upon the dark-haired boy approaching them.

"Of course we do," Ishida stated with a small smirk, stopping a few feet away as Ichigo came up behind him wearing a similar expression.

"K-Kurosaki-kun...Ishida-kun…" Inoue greeted them nervously.

Ulquiorra turned to them, his eyes analyzing their faces for any sign of disapproval or malicious intent. However, he found neither as the pair continued to wordlessly regard him. It was several moments before Ichigo finally took several steps forward, arms crossed and brows creased in underlying confusion. He stopped and looked to the Espada, his gaze implying that he was searching for something.

Ichigo closed his eyes before his smirk widened. "Long time no see," he returned his gaze to the emerald abyss before him. "I was wonderin' when you'd show."

Ulquiorra's eyes widened slightly at this before he lowered them, the regret for past actions arising once more. Ichigo mutely observed his sudden change in expression before slapping him on the shoulder and moving past him to Inoue. His smile softened and he tilted his head, "so you ready to have some fun or what?"

Orihime's mouth parted and she briefly looked to Ishida, who still looked to them both calmly. Returning her gaze to Ichigo she nodded, an answering grin overshadowing her concern. "Yes!" She felt the excitement seeping through her.

"Well then," Ishida began, adjusting his glasses. "Let's hurry back to the others."

Orihime momentarily hesitated before nodding again, clutching the hand still held in hers as they proceeded forward behind Ichigo and Ishida. Ulquiorra found he was unable to remove his gaze from the Shinigami teen, the absolute pardoning his actions implied instilling a respect and remorse he had become intensely familiar with.

"You alright?" her soft voice enticed his attention and he, granting it to her, merely allowed himself to reside within the gentle hold of her scrutiny.

"Yes." He paused, "why wouldn't I be?"

Orihime softly chuckled before shrugging, "I can tell when something's bothering you, Ulquiorra." She cast him a side long glance, catching his brief expression of astonishment before it disappeared entirely.

He rubbed his thumb against hers and then looked to the sight before him as they entered the festival, the many glowing lights and sounds inspiring subtle awe. He remembered the woman beside him describing this event, and revealing how much she would always enjoy it. However, the fireworks were what he had come to see, her explanation long since arousing curiosity. _Lights that explode, huh? _

He allowed for a slight smile as the thought on how Orihime had been talking about this all day, her entire person fidgeting as the hours wore on. She had kept looking to the clock, releasing a subtle sigh at the time before launching into another excited monologue concerning the festival. He had silently listened, offering only simple responses, merely reveling within the sound of her voice. He had missed it all; every single thing about her. She munched on the pineapples she had bought the previous evening, offering one to him and watching in dismay as he frowned and announced his aversion to sweet things. It had horrified her, a fact he still found immensely amusing.

He also reflected on how frenzied she was over what to wear tonight. She had asked his opinion on the matter countless times, which he found rather difficult to understand. She looked just as lovely in everything she had shown him. However, when he had finally voiced as much, she merely pouted, signifying her displeasure with his response. He realized then how strangely important it was for her to hear his input and so he obliged, deciding to seriously consider the different attributes of the clothing and how they best managed to suit her frame. He had never been asked to analyze a person's attire before and so the experience was completely new to him.

His reverie was interrupted when a tall, dark boy approached the group, his eyes covered by his curled hair and his mouth set in an expressionless line. Orihime looked to Chad and saw the briefest glimmer of surprise before he managed to suppress it. He didn't say anything, as was custom, but he offered a smile, which she wholeheartedly returned.

"Now then-" Ishida began before his eyes widened upon seeing Tatsuki and Keigo approaching the couple as well.

"Orihime?" The brunette asked, her eyes locked on the pale boy beside her and the hand that was entwined with hers.

Orihime brought a hand to her head and forcibly laughed, "Tatsuki-chan…"

Tatsuki looked to Ishida and Ichigo, furrowing her brows upon seeing the easy set of their features. She then returned her gaze to Inoue before stepping closer and stopping in front of her. "Who….is that?"

"He's…" Orihime began, sharing a glance with him before regarding Tatsuki with a small blush. "He's my…His name is Ulquiorra and….we're…"

"Don't fret over it, Tatsuki," Ichigo stated, observing the girl carefully.

Tatsuki looked to him, "but…"

"It's alright, Kurosaki-kun," Orihime answered softly before smiling to her best friend. "Please don't be angry with me. I'm sorry I couldn't tell you about him before. We've known each other for a while, and he's become a very important person to me. I can explain it all to you later if you want."

Tatsuki regarded her absently a moment before suddenly grinning and patting her on the head, "looking forward to it." She then returned to Keigo and waved, her grin still in place as she ventured off. However, Inoue did not miss the slight look of concern that lingered on her features. She felt bad for inflicting such a thing over her but decided not to dwell on it. The interaction could have turned out a lot worse. Tatsuki was definitely not the most patient type.

"That wasn't so bad," Orihime stated aloud.

Ulquiorra just looked to her fondly before continuing forward as the others set forth. Her friends seemed interesting, though none so much as the two whom he had come to admire most. He wouldn't mind someday becoming more acquainted with both the Shinigami and the Quincy, the irony of such a truth almost intolerable.

The ensuing hours consisted of various games, which Ulquiorra turned out to be very talented at, a fact that had momentarily depressed Orihime. They also browsed the gift stalls and Inoue purchased a huge bucket of cotton candy from a vendor, though only she and Ichigo ate off it as both the Espada and Ishida furiously refused to even sample the treat. Live music swept through the air and several entertainers displayed amazing and enticing feats. Orihime enjoyed the animal shows, though she could sense Ulquiorra's boredom practically radiating off of him. However, he of course never actually announced his disinterest.

When the evening faded into night, the group ventured to an overlooking hill, the grassy slope dancing within the cool breeze and the stars shining brilliantly overhead. The ocean stretched out before them and the anticipation for the firework show was emitted within the atmosphere as hundreds of people awaited it. Orihime and Ulquiorra sat several feet behind the others, as Ichigo and Ishida chatted animatedly over the origins of dynamite while Chad simply looked on in silent amusement.

"I had fun today," Inoue stated softly before looking up to Ulquiorra. "Thank you for coming with me."

He met her gaze and nodded, "I enjoyed it as well. No need to thank me for that. I owe you a lot so don't ever feel timid about asking me to do anything."

Orihime frowned slightly, "but I don't want to have you do things that you'd rather not. I want you to tell me if you ever don't want to do something."

He regarded silently before again nodding. "If that's what you want."

She smiled before leaning against him, closing her eyes momentarily and silently delighting in his company. He leaned his head against hers, the hold of his eyes upon the sky above. He had never really stopped to observe the stars before, as Hueco Mundo only possessed a moon. They were tantalizing in their luminescence and he found himself beginning to understand why the woman beside him had missed her own world so much. It was entirely different from the one he knew. There was beauty and life everywhere, things that he had never been aware enough of to miss.

Orihime's smile widened as she reflected on how everything had turned out. She never imagined him sitting here beside her and, as she returned to the very first day she had seen him she marveled at the unpredictability of fate. Her thoughts were momentarily stilled, however, as the first firework was shot into the sky, traveling at an impossible speed before bursting into an array of dazzling and vibrant colors, the water below reflecting its splendor.

Ulquiorra's lips slightly parted at the sight that greeted him, the exploding display of light truly awe-inspiring. He did not what to imagine upon her explanation and now found that he never could have possibly grasped the spectacle without seeing firsthand what she had described in words. _Fascinating, _he mutely identified, the fulfillment of his curiosity well sated.

"Ulquiorra-kun…" Orihime began gently before lifting her head and looking to him as he turned his head to face her. "What…were you thinking…when you first saw me?"

She blushed at having finally voiced her question, but decided that she really wanted to know all the same. He silently regarded her for several moments before allowing for a true, uninhibited smile to cross his face, the first he had ever shown her. "I was…" he grasped her hand, once again amazed at how intensely she enticed all of his senses. For the first time, he looked forward to the future before him. He positively anticipated the days he would spend beside her and enjoyed the prospect of not entirely knowing what all to expect.

"I was…lamenting my enchantment."

**_The End_**

* * *

><p>Yay! This is the first multi-chapter story I have EVER finished, even outside of this site. I will miss working on it but am intensely relieved to have it completed. It's very exciting :)<p>

Many thanks to all of my reviewers/readers. Your support both inspired and motivated my writing. You are all great and I'm going to miss hearing from you each week :) I really appreciate every single one of you, and most notably my devoted reviewers:

-TheCatWithTheHat (you're awesome, thanks so much for all of your feedback! You reviewed every single chapter and so I was always able to count on your insight ;D)

-RAHbooks

-Gamma-Beta-Alpha

-Melty-chan93

-Mr. Blood Dupre

-blueeyedlullabye

-maxienne

-LadyWeirdessa

-katlove78

-Kyrital

-DeathByDarkness13

-YouFall9Times

-Battenburg507

-SparklyLarry

-NephandiMan

-chaos-son

-LunaMoonSinger

-Ermilus

-tweetymug

-xxxPureRosexxx

-xfang-girlx

-ulquihime7980

-AraelDranoth

-VampyreAtHeart

And to all my anonymous and future reviewers, thank you for your support/thoughts, it is always much appreciated.

I am also grateful to my two amazing sisters, Lehrain and Slytherstein, who are both outstanding authors/members of this site. I appreciate their continued support and advice, as well as their very special place in my life. We are planning a collaberative Bleach fic in the near future, which will be under Lehrain's name. Keep an eye out for that, it will center around Aizen mostly, but with emphasis on the Espada as well. Already decided to add Ulquihime as well as several other pairings :) If you want a laugh and a new perspective on one of the most despicable villains ever, you will enjoy it.

I would also like to give special thanks to my husband for introducing me to Bleach in the first place. He's great and without him, I never would have discovered either Ulquiorra or Orihime. :(

...

And now...for a surprise! ;D I'm already working on outlining a sequel to this story. It can be stand alone or as an addition to this fic. It will mainly consist of Ulquiorra and Orihime discovering the truth of his past life. However, there's going to be some historical research involved and so I'm going to take a little break before starting it. Please continue to watch for it!


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